Monoecious glabrous herbs or shrubs, with simple or branched stems, alternate or rarely opposite, entire or toothed leaves, often with 2 glands at the base, the flowers bracteolate, in terminal spikes, apetalous, the bractlets 2-glandular. Staminate flowers several together in the axils of the bractlets, the calyx slightly 2-3-lobed; stamens 2-3, exserted. Pistillate flowers solitary in the axils of the lower bractlets; calyx 3-lobed, ovary 2-celled or 3-celled with a solitary ovule in each cavity; styles stout, somewhat united at the base. Capsule 2-lobed or 3-lobed, separating into 2 or 3 two-valved carpels. Seeds ovoid or subglobose. Embryo straight in the fleshy endosperm. [In honor of Dr. B. Stellingfleet, an English botanist]

About 15 species, mostly of tropical America and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, the following typical.

1. Stillingia Sylvática L. Queen's Delight. Queen-Root

Fig. 2730

Stillingia sylvatica L. Mant. 1: 126. 1767.

A bright green slightly fleshy perennial herb. Stem rather stout, erect or assurgent, usually branched from the base, 1°-3 1/2° tall. Leaves obovate, oblong or elliptic, 5"-4' long, obtuse, or subacute, serrate with appressed teeth, often narrowed at the 2-glandular base, sessile; flowers in terminal spikes, lemon-colored, subtended by small bracts furnished with saucer-shaped glands; calyx cup-shaped; petals and glandular disk none; capsule depressed, 5"-7" in diameter, 3-lobed; seeds ovoid, 3" long, light gray, minutely pitted and papillose, the base flattened.

In dry soil, Virginia to Florida, Kansas and Texas. Called also Silver-leaf; the root, known as Queen's-root, an alterative. Yaw-root. Nettle-potatoe. March-Oct.

Stillingia salicifolia (Torr.) Small, with relatively narrower and serrulate leaves, ranges from Kansas to Texas.