52 vi. nymph,eace;e (oliver). [Brasenw. 



in fruit coriaceous, l-(or 2-)seeded.— Herbs, with floating, entire, peltate 

 leaves. Flowers rather small. 



1. B. peltata, Pursh, Fl. Bor. Am. ii. 389. Leaves usually broadly 

 elliptical and rounded at each end, 2-3£ in. long, l$-2 in. broad. Flowers 

 axillary, £-1 in. diam., pedunculate, purple.— A. Gray, Gen. i. 39. Hydro- 

 ptltis purpurea, Michx. ; DC. i'rod. i. 112. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, prov. Huilla, Br. Welwitsch ! ., 



The only species of the genus, very widely distributed, occurring in N. America, India, 

 and Australia. 



2. NYMPBL51A, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 46. 



Sepals 4. Petals indefinite, from 5 or 6-20 or more, in 2 or more series. 

 Stamens indefinite, 12-60, inserted with the petals upon the sides of the re- 

 ceptacle. Ovary many-celled, with radiating sessile stigmas. Fruits coria- 

 ceous or spongy ; seeds indefinite, immersed in pulp. — Rhizome perennial. 

 Leaves deeply cordate, floating, with prominent radiating nerves beneath, on 

 long petioles. Flowers white blue or red, 1 or 2-10 in. or more in diam. 



To this beautiful genus belongs the White Water-lily of Europe and the north temperate 

 zone. 



Connective of the anthers not (or but exceptionally) produced beyond the 



cells, obtuse or scarcely acute 1. N, Lotus. 



Connective of the anthers more or less distinctly produced beyond the cells 



into an acute or obtuse appendix 2. N. stellate- 



1. N. Lotus, Linn. Sp. PI. 729. Leaves sinuate-dentate, rarely nearly 

 entire, with a deep, open or nearly closed sinus, more or less sagittate when 

 young, pubescent or nearly glabrous beneath. Flowers 2-10 in. diam., white 

 rose or purple. The rays of the stigma with somewhat clavate extremities.-" 

 Bot. Mag. 1280, 1364, 4665 (N. Devoniensis) . N. dentata, Schum. et 

 Thonn. Guin. PI. 249. For extended synonymy, see ' Flora Indica,' i. 241- 



Upper Guinea. Senejrambia, Perrottet, Brunner I Oware, P. de Beauvois ; 1S$P> 

 Barter! Fernando Po and Nun river, Mann ! Old Calabar, Thomson! 



North Central. Tubosi Lake, E. Vogel ! „. 



Wile Land. Nile, 2° N. lat., Speke and Grant ! Kordofan, etc., Webb, Frag. ''• 

 Mth. 11. 



Lower Guinea. Congo, Br. Welwitsch ! 



Moiamb. Distr. Lake Nyassa, Dr. Kirk ! 



Occurs also in India and the Indian Archipelago, in S.E. Europe, N. Africa, and Man* 

 gascar. 



2. N. stellata, mild. Sp. PI. ii. 1153. Leaves orbicular or broadly 

 elliptical, sinuate-dentate, repand or entire, with a deep sinus, usually g'*' 

 brous, occasionally producing leafy buds at the base. Flowers very variable 

 in size, 1-10 in. diam., white blue purple or rose, fragrant or inodorous- 

 Stigmatic rays short. Seeds ellipsoid-globose, minutely longitudinally stn«' £ 

 or nearly or quite smooth. — Bot. Mag. 552, 1189, 2058. N. cterulea, S*| 

 DC. Syst. Veg. ii. 50. N. guineensis, Schum. et Thonn. Guin. PL 24 °; 

 N. maculata, Schum. et Thonn. 1. c. 247. N. ruftscens, N. micranthc a , 

 N. abbreviata, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. 15, 16. N.' Heudelotii, Pl alicl1 ' 



