Seripus, TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA, Qt 
shaped tubers. Culms erect, naked, slightly twisted to the 
right, inwardly intercepted: by slender membranes, distant a 
line, or a line and a half from each other, every eighth or tenth 
of these partitions, is ef a firmer texture than the others and 
visible on the outside, even when the plant is growing. Leaves 
none except a slender short sheath or two at the base of each 
culm, Spike terminal, solitary, cylindric, naked. Seales 
oblong, membranaceous margined. Stamens three. “Style 
two or. three-cleft, at the base swelled out into an ovate-cor- 
date, compressed shape. Seed obcordate, surrounded with 
~ glochidate bristles. 3 
Obs, For the economical uses of the tuberous roots of this 
plant, I beg leave to refer to Abbe Grosier, and other historians. 
who have had opportunities of observing: in what manner 
they are employed by the Chinese, and to the following ex+ 
tract from Mr, Duncan’s letter which accompanied the plants, 
“The Maa-tai, -Pee-tai or Pi-tse of Abbe Grosier, the 
water-chesnut, grows in ponds, which are manured. for its 
reception about the end of March. A pond being drained 
of its water, small pits are dug in its bottom, these are filled 
with human manure, and exposed to the sun for a fortnight ; 
their contents are then intimately blended with the slimy 
bottom of the pond, and the slips or roots of the plant de- 
posited therein ; the water is now returned to the pond, and 
the new crop * tubers comes to perfection bast the etindacened 
of September. 
“ This. nut is in high estimation among all ranks of Chinese, 
not only as a pot root, but also a medicine. It is eaten either 
boiled or raw: I will not vouch for the truth of the singu- 
lar virtues ascribed to the Maa-tai, but just relate one of 
the most plausible. The children here often play with 
cash in their. mouths, wivicll: sometignes ——— 
moe never ° fails nahn ¥eliek; “tem considered | a ator wie 
has the effect of decomposing the metal.” 
N2 
