Monocardia

  • Authority

    Contributions from The New York Botanical Garden: Volume X 1921-1923.

  • Family

    Scrophulariaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Monocardia

  • Description

    Species Description - Stems much branched, terete, repent, the apices ascending. Leaves sessile, slightly clasping, oblong to orbicular, entire, palmately-veined from base, obscurely glandular-dotted and not odorous. Pedicels axillary, 6-20 mm. long, pubescent, not bracteolate. Calyx of 5 very dissimilar sepals; outermost (posterior) heartshaped; two anterolaterals smaller, obliquely, or but one-half cordate-or truncate-ovate, three outer prominently reticulate; two postero-laterals (innermost) linear-attenuate, only % length of outermost and usually slightly longer than the capsule. Corolla 3-7 Mini, long, the widely-spreading lobes longer than the tube, the two posterior lobes united nearly throughout; glabrous throughout, bine or white. Stamens four, glabrous, didynamous (the posterior filaments shorter and usually anthers smaller); anthers uniform, the narrow sacs closely connivent, each opening its entire length. Style glabrous, little exceeding the sepals. Stigma distinct, flat. Capsule 2-4 mm. long, much shorter than calyx, oblong or ovoid-oblong, acute, brown, septicidal and loculicidal; the septum with adherent thin placentae, persisting plate-like. Seeds .2 - .3 mm. long, oblong, blackish-brown, ridged and with cross-reticulations.

  • Discussion

    Type species, M. violacea Pennell. Hydrotrida Small, in general aspect like this genus, differs in possessing a circle of bristles surrounding the ovary, pubescence within over the bases of the corolla-lobes, two bract coles below the calyx, and more conspicuous glands which exhale a strong aromatic odor.

    Pedicels and sepals with spreading hairs. Stems and leaves beneath pubescent. Corolla blue.

    Corolla 6-7 mm. long. Calyx 5-7 mm. long. Leaves 1.2-1.8 cm. long, and nearly as wide. Stems densely hirsute, 2-3 dm. long. 1. M . viola a.

    Corolla 4-5 mm. long. Calyx 4-6 mm. long. Leaves .7-1.8 cm. long, ovate-oblong. Stems pubescent, less than 1.5 dm. long.

    Leaves 1.2-1.8 cm. long, the younger pubescent along midrib beneath. Sepals 5-6 mm. long. 2. M. lilacina. Leaves .7-9 cm. long, the younger pubescent over the entire surface beneath. Sepals 4-5 mm. long. 3. M. humilis. Plant glabrous throughout. Corolla white, 3-3.5 mm. long. 4. M. albida.