Class V. Order I. 77 



79. HOTTON1A. 



HOTTONIA INFLATA. Ell. Inflated Hottonia. 



Leaves pinnatifid, peduncles inflated, jointed, many 

 flowered. 



Stem immersed, round, fragile, sending out roots. Leaves in 

 a whorl at or near the surface of the water, pinnatifid with linear 

 segments. The peduncles which constitute the most conspicu- 

 ous part of the plant grow several together in a sort of umbel. 

 They are from half a foot to a foot long, pifoescent, jointed, and 

 inflated between the joints to nearly the size of the little finger. 

 Within they are smooth and empty. Flowers in numerous 

 whorls with short stalks, and linear, obtuse bractes exceeding 

 them in length. Calyx segments linear, obtuse, persistent. Co- 

 rolla white, very small, hypocrateriform, the tube a little swell- 

 ing, the segments obtuse or slightly emarginate. Stamens very 

 ehort, converging, inserted in the tube of the corolla opposite 

 the segments. Anthers roundish, two lobed. Germ subglobu- 

 lar; style short, erect; stigma globose. Capsule one celled, five 

 valved. Receptacle globular. Seeds minute oval, shining, red, 

 with a blackish tip. Grows in ditches at Milton and Dorchester. 

 June. Perennial. 



80. MENYANTHES. 

 MENYANTHES TRIFOLIATA. L. Buck Bean. 



Bigelow, Medical Botany, PI. xlvi. 



Leaves ternate. L. 



The root of this plant penetrates horizontally in the bog earth 

 to a great distance. It is regularly intersected with joints at the 

 distance of about half an inch from each other, these joints being 

 formed by the breaking off of the old petioles and their sheaths. 

 The leaves proceed from the end of the root on long stalks, fur- 

 nished with broad sheathing, stipules at base. They are trifo- 

 liate, nearly oval, glabrous, somewhat fleshy, and slightly repand, 

 or furnished with minute irregularities at the edge, which hardly 

 prevent them from being entire. Scape round, ascending, 

 smooth, bearing a conical raceme of flowers. Peduncles straight, 

 scattered, supported by ovate, concave bractes. Calyx erect, 

 subcampanulate, five parted, persistent. Corolla funnel shaped, 



