mm. wide, the petiole 0-1 cm. long; sepals 4, (6-) 8-13 mm. long; petals 5-16 mm. 

 long; stamens 8; disk slightly elevated, with a white-hairy sunken nectary surround- 

 ing the base of each epipetalous stamen; capsule thin-walled, 17-45 mm. long, 

 2-8 mm. thick, readily and irregularly loculicidal, the pedicel 0-1 cm. long; seeds 

 in several indistinct rows in each locule, 0.6-0.75 mm. long, free, each with an 

 inflated raphe equal in size to the body of the seed. Jussiaea suffruticosa L. [incl. 

 var. octofila (DC.) Munz. and var. ligustrifolia (H.B.K.) Griseb.] 



In swamps, marshes and other wet places, widespread through s. half of Tex., 

 Ju!y-Oct.; warmer regions of the world. 



The presence in Texas of the closely related L. bonariensis (Mich.) Hara 

 requires confirmation. The ovary of this species at anthesis about equals the sepals 

 instead of exceeding them, the capsule is usually shorter than the pedicel instead of 

 longer and the petals are 20-35 mm. long. 



3. Ludwigia leptocarpa (Nutt.) Hara. Fig. 553. 



Usually robust hairy plants to 15 dm. tall, freely branched; leaves broadly lanceo- 

 late, 3.5-18 cm. long, 1-4 cm. wide, the petiole 2-35 mm. long; sepals 5 (rarely 4, 

 6 or 7), 5.5-11 mm. long; petals 5-11 mm. long; stamens twice as many as the 

 sepals; disk slightly elevated, with a depressed hairy nectary surrounding the base 

 of each epipetalous stamen; capsule 1.5-5 cm. long, 2.5-4 mm. thick, slowly and 

 irregularly loculicidal, the pedicel 2-20 mm. long; seeds in 1 series in each locule, 

 horizontal, 1-1.2 mm. long, each loosely embedded in an easily detached horseshoe- 

 shaped (hippocrepiform) segment of firm endocarp 1-1.5 mm. thick and about 

 1 mm. high. Jussiaea leptocarpa Nutt. 



Wet places, as along ditches and in water about ponds and lakes, in Okla. (Mc- 

 Curtain Co.) and e. Tex., Aug.-Oct.; e. to Mo., Ga., n. Fla., s. to W.I., Peru and 

 Arg.; trop Afr. 



4. Ludwigia peploides (H.B.K.) Raven subsp. peploides. Verdolaga de agua. 



Fig. 554. 



Subglabrous sprawling or floating herb with somewhat ascending flowering 

 branches to 6 dm. long; leaves oblong to oblong-spatulate, 1-9 cm. long, 5-40 mm. 

 wide, the petiole 2-40 mm. long; sepals 5, 4-12 mm. long; petals 7-14 (-24) mm. 

 long; stamens 10; disk slightly elevated, with a depressed white-hairy nectary sur- 

 rounding the base of each epipetalous stamen; capsule 1-4 cm. long, 3-4 mm. 

 thick, very tardily and irregularly dehiscent, the pedicel 1-6 (-8) cm. long; seeds 

 in 1 series in each locule, more or less vertical, 1.1-1.3 mm. long, each firmly 

 embedded in a coherent cube of woody endocarp 1.2-1.5 mm. high, 1-1.2 mm. 

 thick, the endocarp firmly fused to the capsule wall. Jussiaea repens L. var. gla- 

 brescens O. Ktze. and var. peploides (H.B.K.) Griseb. 



Ponds and streams, attached and floating as mats on water, in Okla. (wide- 

 spread), e.-cen. and e. Tex., locally w. to the Trans-Pecos, N.M. (Union Co.) and 

 Ariz. (Coconino, Yavapai and Maricopa cos.), Apr.-Oct.; throughout warmer 

 portions of New World; the species as a whole also in n.e. Asia and temp. Austral, 

 and introd. elsewhere. 



5. Ludwigia uruguayensis (Camb.) Hara. Fig. 555. 



Long hairy perennial herb with decumbent rooting and more or less erect ascend- 

 ing branches to 1 m. tall, the floating branches subglabrous; leaves spatulate to 

 oblanceolate, 3-10 cm. long, 3-10 mm. wide, the petiole 1-5 (-25) mm. long; 

 sepals 5 (rarely 6), 6-14 mm. long; petals 12-23 mm. long; stamens twice as many 

 as the sepals; disk slightly elevated, with a depressed white-hairy nectary surround- 

 ing the base of each epipetalous stamen; capsule 13-25 mm. long, 3-4 mm. thick, 

 very tardily and irregularly dehiscent, the pedicel 5-50 mm. long; seeds in 1 series 



, 1181 



