750 DIOECIA DIANDRIA. - Vallisneria. 
DIOECIA DIANDRIA. 
VALLISNERLA. Schreb. gen. N. 1491. 
Male spathe entire, or two-parted. Spadia simple. Co- 
rol three-petalled, or three-parted. Female spathe as in the 
male, one-flowered. Perianth three-parted. Corol three- 
petalled. Styles three or three-parted. Capsule one-cell- 
ed, many-seeded, ' 
1, V. spiraloides. R. 
Stemless, Leaves radical ensiform, serrulate, Female on 
a spiral scape, witha three.toothed spathe; no corol, nor nec- 
tary. 
A native of Coromandel. 
2, V. alterni ifolia, R. a | | 
-Ramous. Leaves linear, alternate, and opposite at the ori- 
gin of the branches. — 
_ Hind, Ganj. 
_ Beng. Rusna-jhanj. 
Found in ponds of fresh water near Calcutta, in high per- 
pection during the latter part of the rainy season. 
Root stole-bearing, affixed in the ground, fibrous. Stems 
filiform, ascending through the water, and of various lengths, 
but sufficient, when the inundations are not too rapid, to 
raise the alternate ramifications even with the surface of the 
water. Leaves alternate, except at the ramifications, and 
there generally opposite ; those of the stem remote; of the 
flower bearing branches approximate ; stem-clasping, sword- 
shaped, serrate, from two to four inches long. So far the 
male and female plants agree. Maze, Calyx common, 
spathes axillary, paired, sessile, composed of two valves part- 
ing when the corollets are ready to be disengaged. Com- 
mon spadix as in the genus, surrounded with innumer- 
able pedicelled corollets, Corol five-petalled, unequal, com~ 
