T R IO S T E UM perfoliatum.
Perfoliate Fever-root.
LiMuean Class and Order. P E N T A N D R IA M O N O G Y N IA .
Natural Orde,-. C A P R IF O L IA C EÆ . Kunth Synops. 3. p . 71.
Tribus I . Ca PRIFOLIÆ. Corolla monopetala. Stylus umeus.
T R IO S T E U M . Calyx 5-partitus, persistens ; laciniis linearibus patentibus.
Corolla tubulosa, longitudine fere calycis, limbo tubo breviore
recto lobis 5 subæqualibus rotundatis. Stamina 5 inclusa. Stigma oblongum,
incrassatum, sub-5-lobum. Bacca coriacea, basi calyce inclusa,
huiusque laciniis coronata, obovato-trigona, trilocularis. Semma3, ossea
elliptica, altero latere striis 3 obscuris, tunica exteriore crassâ, ossea, interiore
membranaceâ subfriabili.
T perfoliatum, foliis ovalibus acuminatis basi abrupte angustatis latius
anLstiusve connatis, floribus sessilibus verticillatis, corollæ obscure
TriosteumTwfoliatum. Willden. sp .p l. p. 990. Pursh f l . amer. sept. 1.
p 162. Pers. syn. 1. p . 214. Schkuhr handb. 1. p . 135. t. 41. Roem. et
Schult. syst. 6. p . 221. Spreng. syst. veg. l . p . 161. Hort. K ew . ed. - .
V. 1. p . 381. N u tt.g en . amer. l . p . 139. DM. elth. t. 293. f . 378.
Roots perennial, thick and fleshy. Stems simple, erect,
18 inches to 2 feet high, woody, hollow, slightly viscous,
densely pubescent. Leaves large, opposite, connate and perfoliate
at the base, oval, abruptly attenuated near The base,
taper-pointed, rugose, undulate, reticulately veined, repand-
Iv crenate, pubescent on both sides, the nerves clothed with
short white hairs ; of a yellowish green colour, paler underneath.
F low e rs whorled, axillary, sessile, generally 3 on each
side, of a dark brownish purple. Bractes Ime^, soniewhat
keeled, clothed with a viscous pubescence. Calyx deeply
5-cleft, persistent : segments linear, scarcely acute, slightly
keeled’at the back, of a brownish purple, spreading, pubescent
and fringed, the 2 outer ones longest. Corolla tubular,
a little curved at the base, 5-lobed, viscosely pubescent, about
the length of the calyx, limb shorter than the tube : lobes
nearly equal, rounded. Stamens 5, inserted in the tube : fila ments
villosely hairy, attached to the back of the anthers.
Style exserted, very hairy. thick, oblong, slightly
5-lobed, of a dark green colour. Ovarium pubescent, crowned
with the persistent calyx.
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