116 ELATINACER (Harv.) [Bergia. 
warmer parts of the temperate zones. Leaves opposite, simple, entire or toothed, 
often with shortened leafy branchlets in the axils, and then densely crowded. Sti- 
pules membranous or bristle-pointed. Flowers minute, axillary, sessile or stalked, 
solitary or in cymes. This genus, which is scarcely distinguishable from Elatine, is 
named in honour of Peter Jonas Bergius, an early explorer of S. African Botany and 
author of a Cape Flora, published at Stockholm, 1767. 
1. B. glomerata (Linn. f. Suppl. 243) ; stems prostrate, woody, qua- 
drangular, distichously much branched ; leaves crowded, obovate, toothed 
or nearly entire ; stipules ovate, laciniate ; flowers axillary, solitary, 
nearly sessile; sepals oblong, acute, ciliated ; petals spathulate-linear, 
obtuse. DC. Prod. 1. p. 390. 
Has. In wet places near the Zwartkops River, Uitenhage, Thunberg, E. & Z.! 
(Herb. T.C.D., Hook.). 
Perennial. Stems many from a thick root, 1-2 feet long, rough, furrowed, densely 
set with sub-opposite, spreading, distichous branches. Leaves } inch long, closely 
set, with tufts of smaller leaves in their axils, glabrous, Stipules membranous, m- 
ciso-pinnatifid. Flowers bracteate ; sepals and petals narrowed to the base. Stamens 
to. Styles 5, divergent; capsule 5-angled and 5-celled. : 
2. B. decumbens (Planch. in Herb. Hook.) ; stem suffruticose, dif- 
fuse, setulose or glabrous, oppositely branched ; leaves remote, lanceolate, 
sessile, sharply serrate, acute ; stipules setaceo-suhulate, ciliated ; cymes 
axillary, few flowered, much shorter than the leaves ; pedicels longer 
than the flowers ; sepals acuminate and mucronate ; petals obovate-ob- 
long, sub-obtuse. Harv. Thes. Cap. t. 24. 
Has. Macallisberg, Burke/ (Herb. Hook., T.C.D.). 
Stems many hoes same oe decumbent or outta terete, the younger 
ones 4~angled, sparsely pubescent, 1-2 feet long ; branches 1-2 inches apart. Leaves 
1-14 inches long, 1-2 lines broad. Stipules rigid, erect. Cymes imperfect, reduced 
to verticilasters, 3-6 or more flowers in each. Sepals concave and sharply keeled, 
with scarious edges; petals as long as the sepals, obtuse. Stamens 10, the 5 opp? 
site the petals smaller with narrower filaments. 
3. B. anagalloides (E. Mey! MS.) ; glabrous, suffruticose at base ; 
stems herbaceous, procumbent, oppositely branched ; leaves remote, 
oblong or elliptical, tapering at base into a short petiole, denticulate to- 
wards the obtuse apex ; stipules (small) linear-subulate, enture ; flowers 
solitary, axillary, on filiform pedicels much longer than the leaves ; — 
- elliptical, obtuse or mucronulate, albo-marginate ; petals longer than the 
sepals, obovate, obtuse, entire. Fenzl.in An. Wien. Mus. 1. p. 344- 
 Repert.2. p. 786. 
Has. Orange River, on sand hills at the right bank, near Verleptram, Drege/ 
pr l, the nodes 
