98 
correspond in number with the stigmas. Seeds rough, len- 
ticular, attached by a short pedicel. 
This most beautiful aquatic is in flower all the rainy and 
cool season, and certainly cannot be adequately represented 
on paper; at least the accompanying drawing falls very far 
short of the richness and beauty of the original.* 
The present species differs from the usual character of the 
genus Villarsia, in having the whole disk of the limb of the 
corolla bearded, and in wanting the sterile filaments or glands; 
and certainly strengthens the arguments of those who object 
to the separation of this genus from Menyanthes on the char- 
acters hitherto assigned, If the floating evalvular species 
only were removed, there would, perhaps, be less room for 
objection, as the distinction would be supported, both by the 
difference of habit and the form of an important organ, the 
seed-vessel. But so long as the separation is made to rest on 
the presence or absence of sterile filaments or glands, and on 
the greater or less extent of beard on the segments of the 
corolla, this species must be divided from Villarsia, and 
united with Menyanthes, unless kept separate by the difference 
of the leaves. On these grounds I agree with Smith and 
others, in thinking that these genera are not sufficiently distin- 
guished by the characters now assigned to them. 
[Mr. Brown, indeed, has long ago observed, that Menyan- 
thes differs from Villarsia, principally in the disk of the cor- 
olla being longitudinally bearded, in the margin being simple, 
(destitute of fringe, which, indeed, is the case with some 
acknowledged Villarsie,) and the ternate leaves. It may, 
therefore, not unreasonably be questioned, whether the latter 
should form a genus distinct from the former. In adopting 
it, we follow the now almost universal arrangement of authors. 
The species requires a very careful revision; more than one 
having, we suspect, already been confounded with the P. indica; 
— 
* The figure is faithful, but the artist has selected small leaves, and their 
thickness cannot well be represented. They are usually as large, and very 
similar to those of Nuphar lutea, or N. advena. — Ed. ; 
