folding its feathery sides, and increasing im size as it spreads be- 
neath the water. The leaves in their several stages of growth 
pass through almost every gradation of colour, from pale yellow 
to a dark olive, becoming before they finally decay brown or 
nearly black ; while air-bubbles of considerable size frequently 
appear under the full-formed and healthy leaves. It is scarcely 
possible to imagine any object of the kind more attractive than 
a full-grown plant, with its dark-green leaves forming the limit 
of a circle two or three feet in diameter, and presenting in the 
transparent water, within that circle, leaves in every stage of de- 
velopment, both as regards colour and size. Nor is it less cu- 
rious to notice, that these slender and fragile structures, appa- 
rently not more substantial than the gossamer and flexile as a 
feather, still possess a tenacity and wiriness which allows the 
delicate leaf to be raised by the hand to the surface of the water 
without injury. 
“T succeeded in conveying this plant safely to Mauritius, where 
it was preserved for more than a year, and seemed to thrive best 
in running water, at a temperature of about 74°. I was happy 
to present specimens of it to M. Bojer, and to Mr. Duncan, the 
Director of the Royal Gardens at Pamplemouses. At the Cape 
of Good Hope, Mr. Gibbon kindly took charge of it during my 
absence on a journey of more than five months into the interior, 
and I willingly left a plant of it in the Botanical Gardens there. 
Since my return to England, I have had much satisfaction in 
presenting specimens of this rare plant to the Royal Gardens at 
Kew, to the Gardens of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick, 
and to those at Regent’s Park.” 
Persoon, or probably Richard in Persoon’s ‘Synopsis,’ ob- 
served of this plant, that it was nearly allied to Aponogeton ; and 
no wonder: the habits and general structure, edible roots, di- 
rection of the nerves of the leaf, binate spikes, disepalous peri- 
anth, stamens and pistils, are common to both. But the able 
Decaisne refers Ouvirandra to Naiadee ; Kunth, to the Genera 
Fluvialibus afinia ; Endlicher places it next to Saururee, as a 
“genus dubium,” standing however next to Aponogeton (in Sau- 
ruree); Lindley in Juncaginee ; and Mr. Edgeworth, in a Me- 
moir, above quoted, on Aponogeton and the allied genera (1844), 
shows that Ouvirandra can scarcely be distinguished from Apo- 
nogeton, or, if it is kept distinct, certain species of Aponogeton 
must rank with it: and he accordingly draws up a slightly 
modified character of Ouvirandra, to which he also refers four 
species of Aponogeton (viz. A. erispus, A. pusillus, A. Macrawi, 
and 4. undulatus). M. Planchon, in his ‘Observations sur le 
Genre Aponogeton et sur ses Affinités naturelles’ (Ann. Sc. Nat. 
troisiéme série, vol. i. p. 107. an. 1844), suggests that Aponoge- 
ton should form a su rder of dlismacee, or probably a new © 
