cept the stinging hairs of some species. Only two genera of the
order in this country, and one in this State.
C entaurella. Mx. 4. 1.
C. paniculata. Mx. Screw Stem. Stem 4 —8 inches high,
square, slender, somewhat twisted, branched, smooth ; leaves
minute, subulate, alternate below ; flowers small, greenish-white,
on the ends of the branches ; grows in meadows, and blossoms in
August.
ORDER 52. SALICARLffi. L oosestrife T r ib e .
Monosepalous divided calyx, with petals between the divisions,
deciduous, or wanting ; stamens rise from the side of the tube of
the calyx below the petals, and from 1 to 4 times as many ; style
filiform, rising from the ovary, superior ; generally herbaceous,
with branches often 4-sided ; flowers axillary, or in terminal
spikes or racemes ; leaves usually opposite. The properties
are strangely diverse, astringent, vulnerary, venereal, diuretic,
vesicatory, coloring, and dyeing. Belongs to temperate regions.
L y t h r u m . L . 11 . 1.
L. verticillatum. L. Swamp Willow Herb. Stem 2 feet
high, rather woody towards the base, with opposite lanceolate
leaves, or in threes, and fine purple spreading corolla of 5 or 6
petals on the calyx ; blossoms in August, and- grows in swamps ;
often called Grass-poly, and is a fine plant; short-lived flowers.
L. salicaria. Ph. Willow-leafed. . Supposed to he a rare
plant, but has been found near New Bedford.
L . hyssopifolium. L. Hyssop-leafed. Has a stem a foot or
more high ; in low grounds ; flowers purple ; handsome.
A mmannia. L . 4. 1.
A. humulis. Mx. A procumbent plant, with nearly sessile
leaves, tapering at the base, and with small, red, sessile flowers, in
the axils of the leaves ; flowers in August ; grows in wet meadows
; not attractive enough to get an English name.
C u p h e a . Jacq. 11. 1.
C. viscosissima. Jacq. Calyx tubular and ventricose, 6 — 12-
toothed ; about 6 petals; stem a foot and more high, erect,
branching ; flowers lateral, solitary, purple ; hills and wet
grounds ; found in Pittsfield,.Berkshire County, by Dr. G. White.
It is an annual plant, very viscid ; blooms in September.
ORDER 54. MELASTOMACEiE.
Calyx 4 —6-lobed ; petals equal in number to the divisions
of the calyx, and rising from their base ; once or twice as many
stamens as petals ; ovary attached somewhat to the calyx, of
several cells, containing innumerable minute seeds ; leaves opposite,
usually entire ; flowers in a terminal thyrse ; some herbaceous.
One genus in this country. Slight astringency belongs
to the order: the fruit of many is. succulent and eatable, and of
some, colors the mouth black, which gives name to the order. A
great many species are contained in this order, but they belong
chiefly to the tropics, 78 to. India and the Indian Archipelago, 12
to Africa and its islands, and 620 to America ; and only 14 are
found out of the tropics, and of these 8 belong to the United
States. Lindley. Only one genus belongs to the Northern States,
and only one species to this State.
R h e x ia . Brown. 8 . 1.
R. Virginica. L . Deer Grass, Meadow Beauty. Stem a foot
high, square, membranous on the angles, somewhat hairy, with
sessile, ovate-lanceolate, ciliate, smooth leaves ; flowers purple,
large, in dichotomous corymbs ; flowers in July, and grows in
wet meadows. Has no important properties, but great beauty,
and is well deserving cultivation.
ORDER 62. ARISTOLOCHLE. B ir t h w o r t T r ib e .
Calyx tubular, superior, having 3 segments, and no corolla;
ovary with 3 - 6 cells, and 5 - 1 0 stamens, epigynous, or upon