4 “CXLI. PONTEDERIACEE (BROWN). [ Heteranthera. 
capsule that is much longer than those of the other flowers on the 
spike.—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419. 
Upper Guinea. ‘Senegal; Pozo Cervalo, Perrottet, 779. 
I have not seen this plant, which is described as having the facies of a Potamo- 
geton, and said to differ from H. callefolia, Reichb., and H. kotschyana, Fenzl, in 
having several closed flowers on the spike. 
2. EICHORNIA, Kunth; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. 
Pl. iii. 838. 
Perianth funnel-shaped, with a long or short tube ; segments a little 
unequal, the interior series broadest, and the upper segment of that 
series usually marked with a spot. Stamens 6, the 3 upper ones 
included, the 3 lower more or less exserted, usually with longer filaments 
and inserted higher up the perianth-tube; filaments filiform; anthers 
dorsifixed, oblong. Ovary sessile, 3-celled ; style filiform; stigma 
slightly dilated or very shortly 3- or 6-lobed ; ovules numerous in each 
cell. Capsule included in the marcescent perianth-tube, ovoid, oblong 
or linear-fusiform ; pericarp membranous. Seeds numerous, ellipsoid 
or oblong, finely ribbed ; embryo cylindric, in the centre of the albumen. 
—Aquatic herbs, entirely floating, or the lower part of the stem creep- 
ing and rooting in the mud. Leaves with long petioles sheathing at 
the base, and obovate, orbicular, ovate or lanceolate blades, cordate or 
narrowed at the base, or the submersed leaves linear; sheath of the 
petiole often much produced at the apex and then described asa stipule. 
_ Inflorescence pedunculate, spicate or paniculate, with a convolute sheath- 
like spathe or rarely an expanded bract at its base, or fasciculate within 
the sheath of the leaf. 
A small genus of 6 species, all (except the following) Tropical American, 
1. BE. natans, Solms in Abhandl. naturw. Ver. Bremen, vii. 254. 
Stems branching, about 1 lin. thick. Submersed leaves 2—4 in. long, 
1-1} lin. long, sessile, linear, acute. Floating leaves petiolate, 4-1 in. 
long, 5—10 lin. broad, ovate or orbicular, obtuse, or rarely acute, cordate 
with small rounded overlapping lobes at the base. Stipules varying 
from 1 lin. long in the submersed leaves to 1} in. long on the floating 
leaves, obtuse, more or less sheathing the stem, membranous, reticulate 
with dark purple cross-veins. Flowers apparently arising from below 
the middle of the petioles of the floating leaves, but in reality terminat- 
ing short lateral 1-leaved branches of the main stem, shortly peduncu- 
late, solitary in a tubular membranous obtuse spathe } in. long. 
~Perianth-tube 5-6 lin. long at the expansion of the flower, rapidly 
elongating afterwards to 10-11 lin. long; limb small, 6-lobed, blue, 
about } in. diam. Capsule 5-6 lin. long, narrowly fusiform. Seeds 
numerous, oblong, with numerous exceedingly fine longitudinal ribs.— 
Solms in DC, Monogr. Phan. iv. 526; Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. ©. 137; 
Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 418. Pontederia natans, Beauv. FI. 
Oware, ii. 18, t. 68, fig. 2; Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 526. Roem. & Schultes, 
