572 



BOTANY 



gynaeceum with the carpels free from one another, and a spiral 

 arrangement of the members of the flower. The tendency to con- 

 siderable increase in the number of stamens stands in relation 

 to this. 



It is, however, to be noted that by no means all the plants of the t'uinilirs united 

 in this order exhibit the above characters in the same derive. The characteristic 

 features may indeed be completely wanting, though the existence of intermediate 

 forms leaves no doubt that the genera in question must be classed here. 



Fi<;. 5S4. A'i/ij)/ie vlbu (i nat. size). The spiral arrangement of tin- staim-iis ami |-tals 

 is shown by their insertions on the ovary to the left. 



Family 1. Nymphaeaceae ( 19 ). Aquatic plants with submerged or llo.it im; 

 leaves, the latter often of very large size ; when both types of leaf are present 

 there is more or less marked heterophylly. Flowers hermaphrodite, with calyx 

 and corolla. The whorls consist of three (rarely), four, or more numerous 

 members. Carpels sometimes free. Parts of the flower often spirally arranged 

 (Figs. 584-586). Latex. 



Nymphaea alba, the White Water Lily (Fig. 584), has large floating leaves and 

 white flowers, protected by firm green sepals. Within the corolla conies the zone 

 of numerous stamens and the inferior ovary composed of numerous, coherent 

 carpels. The spiral arrangement of the members of the perianth and undmeritim 

 is seen by the scars of their insertion when they are removed from the inferior 

 ovary (Fig. 584), and in the floral diagram (Fig. 585). In Nufihar the ovary is 



