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Flora Medica

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MELANTHACE.S;.stigmas short, simple. Capsules 3, turgid, united at the base. Seedsovate, covered with a pulpy coat, which becomes bright scarlet whenripe. Torrey, This plant is a narcotic poison, and used in thesouthern states of America for destroying flies.1242. H. dioica Pursh fl. am. i. 243. i.Torrey fl. 370.H. lutea Hort. Kew. ii. 230. Sot. Mag. t. 1062. H. pumilaJacq. ic. rar. ii. t. 453. Veratrum luteum Linn. sp. pi. 1479.Melanthium dioicum Walt. car. p. 126. M. densum Lam. enc.iv. 26. In wet meadows and bogs, common in hilly and mountainoussituations in the United States. (Unicorn's horn, Devil'sbit.)Root large, pramorse. Stem 1-2 feet high, simple, very smooth,slightly angular. Leaves lanceolate, acute ;the radical ones broader.Flowers dioecious and polygamous, in long spike-like racemes. $petals linear-spathulate, obtuse, 1-nerved, white. Stamens ratherlonger than the petals ;filaments subulate ;anthers terminal, 2-lobed.Ovary entirely wanting. J raceme becoming erect, generally fewflowered.Petals linear. Stamens very short, abortive. Ovary ovate,subtriangular, with the sides deeply furrowed ; stigmas 3, spreadingor reflexed. Capsule ovate-oblong, 3-furrowed, opening at the summit.Seeds many in each cell, acute, compressed. Torrey. The rootin infusion is anthelmintic ; in tincture bitter and tonic. DC.GYROMIA.Perianthium 6-parted, revolute. Stamens 6, distinct. Stigmas3, filiform, divaricating, united at the base. Berry 3-celled ;cells 5-6-seeded. Seeds compressed, triangular.1243. G. virginica Nutt. gen.i. 288. i.Torrey fl. 374.Medeola virginiana Linn. sp. pi. 483. Bot. t.Mag. 1306.Moist woods in the United States. (Indian Cucumber.)Rhizoma oblong, tuberous, horizontal. Stem erect, simple, about18 inches high, clothed with a brownish deciduous wool. Leaves in 2whorls; 1 a little above the middle, of 6-8 ovate-lanceolate, acuminateleaves ;the other terminal, of 2-3 ovate ones, all of them entire, membranaceous,3-nerved. Flowers 3-6, on aggregated pedicels arisingfrom the upper whorl, and reflexed down between the leaves. Corollapale yellow ; petals oblong, obtuse, longitudinally nerved. Stamensrather shorter than the petals, filaments capillary, smooth ;anthersoblong, incumbent, 2-celled. Stigmas thick, very long. Torrey. Therhizoma is diuretic and has some reputation as a hydragogue ; but it isnot supposed to possess much energy.TRILLIUM.Sepals 3, herbaceous. Petals 3, coloured. Stigmas 3, sessile.Berry superior, 3-celled ; cells many-seeded.1244. T. erectum Linn. sp. pi. 484. i.Torrey fl. 376.T. rhomboideum MicJix.fi.i. 215. T. atropurpureum Bot. Mag.588

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