Rotala. | LVII, LYTHRACEH (HIERN). 469 
and subsessile, less than din. long; lower internodes longer than the 
leaves, the upper ones shorter. Flowers solitary in the crowded axils 
of upper leaves, of a bright rose colour with 2 opposite and lateral 
linear acute membranous bracts at base of calyx and exceeding its tube ; 
dimorphous according to the comparative length. of the stamens and 
style. Peduncles very short, adnate to the base of the leaves. Calyx 
campanulate, rose-coloured, 4-fid, not cornuate; lobes deltoid, acute. 
Petals 4, twice the length of the calyx-tube, obovate, shortly clawed, 
persistent, not crumpled in the bud. Stamens 4, about length of 
calyx or much exserted, inserted near base of calyx-tube. Ovary en- 
closed in calyx-tube, 4-lobed, 4-celled, sessile ; style long and tortuous 
or about length of calyx according as the stamens are short or long ; 
stigma subcapitate. Capsule 4-valved at least at apex, ultimately 
1-celled, very shortly-stalked. 
Lower Guinea. Angola, Huilla, 3800-5500 ft. alt., . January and October, Dr. 
Welwitsch ! 
ane myriophylloides, Welw. mss. Aquatic, stoloniferous, with 
creeping rhizome, cwespitose. Stems erect, numerous, simple or slightly 
branched near the ends, succulent, about afoot high. Leaves whorled, 
sessile, submersed ones capillary, not rigid, longer than the internodes, 
t+ in. long; upper leaves floral, narrowly lanceolate, shorter than 
the internodes except at the apex of the stem, about } in. long. 
lowers whorled, solitary and sessile in the upper axils. Calyx rose- 
coloured, 8-veined, campanulate, 4-lobed, not cornuate; lobes deltoid, 
shorter than the tube. Petals 4, of a deep rose colour, narrowly 
elliptic, longer than the calyx-lobes. Stamens 4, much exserted. Ovary 
ovoid, 2-celled, subsessile with hypogynous lobed disk shortly adnate 
to the calyx-tube, exceeding the frequently torn calyx; style straight, 
as long as the ovary, included in the calyx. Capsule 2-valved, de- 
hiscing septicidally trom apex. Seeds about 6, oval, concave.—(Hy- 
drolythrum Wailichii, Hook. f. in Hook. Ic. Pl. 1007; Gen. Pl. i. 777, 
(Rotala, Wall. Cat. 9059) is a congener of this plant. ) 
Lower Guinea. Angola, Huilla, 5000 ft. alt., fl. and fr. May, Dr. Welwitsch ! 
10. R. serpiculoides, Welw. mss. Erect, simple or slightly 
branched, bright green, annual, 1-3} in. high. Stems quadrangular 
and virgate, Leaves linear, attenuate at base into a short quasi-petiole, 
~% in. long, erecto-patent. Flowers 1-4 together, shortly peduncled, 
with subulate bracts at or near the base of the peduncles. Calyx with 
4 deltoid lobes, without cornua, reddish at the apex. Petals rare, 
reddish. Stamens 1 or 2, arising from near base of calyx-tube, in- 
cluded, Ovary 3- (?) celled; style very short. Placenta compressed. 
Capsule 3-valved, exceeding the calyx, reddish. Seeds compressed. 
omer Guinea. Huilla, 3800-5500 ft. alt., flowers and fruits in April, Dr. Wel- 
ritse, 
