Spigelia (spijelia)

[NL. (Linnæus, 1737), named after Adrian van der Spiegel (1558-1625), a Belgian physician and profe or of anatomy at Padua.] A genus of gamopetalous plants, of the order Loganiaceæ and tribe Euloganicæ, type of the subtribe Spigelieæ. It is characterized by flowers commonly disposed in one-sided spikes, the corolla with valvate lobes, a jointed style, and a two-celled ovary becoming in fruit a compre ed twin capsule which is circumsci ile above the cup-shaped persistent base. There are about 30 species, natives of America and mostly tropical, 5 extending into the United States; of these 2 are confined to Florida, 2 to Texas, and 1, S. Marilandica, the Maryland pinkroot or worm-gra , reaches Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. They are annual or perennial herbs, rarely somewhat shrubby, either smooth, downy, or woolly, ing opposite feather-veined or rarely nerved leaves, which are connected by a line or transverse membrane or by stipules. The flowers are usually red, yellow, or purplish, and the many-flowered secund and curving spikes are often very handsome. In S. Anthelmia, the Demerara pinkroot, the flowers are white and pink, followed by purple fruit, and the two pairs of upper leaves are crowded in an apparent whorl. See pinkroot.