752 DIOECIA DIANDRIA. Vallisneria, 
ending in the long, sub-erect receptacle of the flower which 
elevates it above the water while expanded. Stigmas three, 
lanceolate. The capsule has the appearance of a silique, 
sometimes murexed, one-celled. Seeds from three to five, 
oblong, pointed at each end, lodged as in the leguminous 
' plants ; their attachments I could not discover, | 
Note. When the male flowers are ready to expand, the 
murexed spathe bursts, the flowers are then quickly detach- 
ed, and swim remote from the parent plants, on the surface 
of the water, in search of the female flowers, resting on the 
extremites of the reflexed leaflets of the perianth, and petals 
of the corol; what a wonderful economy ! 
The Bruhmapoor sugar refiners use this herb, while moist, 
to cover the surface of their sugars, as clay is used in the 
West India Islands, and in two or three wen the enorme is 
finished exceedingly well. ahertes 6 
4. V. ociandra. Willd. iv. 651. Corom. pl. ii. 165, 475, 
Stemless. Leaves radical, ensiform. Scape straight, Male 
flowers octandrous. 
Saivala, Asiat, Res, iv, 275. 
Hind, and Beng. Shyala, Semar, also Halla, ! 
A grass-like plant, growing in standing, sunllonts sweet 
water, 
Root fibrous, annual, Leaves radical, linear, tapering to 
a fine point, serrulate, smooth ; from nine to thirty-six inches 
long, and half an inch or less broad... Mate rtowers, Pe- 
duneles or rather seapes axillary, straight, a little compress- 
ed, the length of the leaves, or more, so as to raise the flowers 
above the surface of the water. Spathe one-leaved, sub-cy- 
lindric, somewhat diaphanous, open at top for the unex- 
panded flowers to pass through, Flowers numerous, in suc- 
cession, white, pretty large, pedicelled ; pedicels lengthening 
when the flowers are ready to expand, so as to elevate them 
just above the mouth of the spathe, Perianth proper three- 
leaved ; leaflets lanceolate, Corol ig ididiatl 
