GENUS i. 



PICKEREL-WEED FAMILY. 



463 



i. Pontederia cordata L. Pickerel-weed. 



Pontederia cordata L. Sp. PI. 288. I753- 



Pontederia lancifolia Muhl. Cat. 34. 1813. 



Pontederia cordata var. angustifolia Torr. Fl. N. U. S. 



i : 343. 1824. 

 Pontederia cordata lancifolia Morong, Mem. Torr. Club 



5: 105. 1894. 



Stem rather stout, i-4 tall. Leaves ovate to 

 lanceolate, cordate-sagittate, truncate or narrowed at 

 the base, 2'-io' long, i'-6' wide, the apex and basal 

 lobes obtuse ; basal lobes often with long narrow 

 stipule-like appendages on the sheathing petiole; 

 spadix and inflorescence glandular-pubescent; peri- 

 anth about 4" long, it and the filaments, anthers and 

 style bright blue, its tube curved, slightly longer than 

 the lobes, middle lobe of the upper lip with 2 yellow 

 spots at the base within ; ovary oblong, tapering into 

 the slender style ; stigmas minutely 3-6-toothed. 



Borders of ponds and streams, Nova Scotia to Minne- 

 sota, south to Florida and Texas. After flowering the 

 lobes and upper part of the perianth-tube wither above, 

 while the persistent base hardens around the fruit. _ The 

 flowers are trimorphous. Includes several races, differ- 

 ing in width of leaves. June-Oct. 



Fig. 1161. 



2. HETERANTHERA R. & P. Prodr. Fl. Per. 9. 1794. 

 [SCHOLLERA Schreb. Gen. 785. 1789. Not Roth. 1788.] 



Herbs with creeping, ascending or floating stems, the leaves petioled, with cordate, ovate, 

 oval or reniform blades, or grass-like. Spathes i-flowered or several-flowered. Flowers 

 small, white, blue or yellow. Lobes of the perianth nearly or quite equal, linear. Stamens 

 3, equal or unequal, inserted on the throat of the perianth. Ovary fusiform, entirely or in- 

 completely 3-celled by the intrusion of the placentae; ovules numerous; stigma 3-lobed. 

 Fruit an ovoid many-seeded capsule, enclosed in the withered perianth-tube. Seeds ovoid, 

 many-ribbed. [Greek, referring to the unequal anthers of some species.] 



About 10 species, 2 in tropical Africa, the others American; only the following in the United 

 States. Type species : Heteranthera reniformis R. & P. 



Leaves reniform, oval or ovate. 



One of the filaments longer than the other two ; flowers few or several. 

 Flowers white, little exserted from the sheath ; leaves reniform. 

 Flowers blue, much exserted ; leaves ovate to subreniform. 

 Filaments broad, equal; spathe i-flowered; leaves ovate to oval. 

 Leaves linear, grass-like, floating. 



1. H. reniformis. 



2. H. pediincularis. 



3. H. limosa. 



4. H. dnbia. 



i. Heteranthera reniformis R. & P. Mud Plantain. 



Fig. 1162. 



Heteranthera reniformis R. & P. Fl. Per. i : 43. 1/98. 

 Leptanthus reniformis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i : 25. 1803. 



Stems creeping in the mud, rooting at the nodes. Leaves 

 long-petioled, the blades renifqrm, wider than long, 8"-2o" 

 wide, rounded at the apex; petioles sheathing, i'-4' long; 

 spathe few-flowered ; inflorescence little exserted ; tube of 

 the perianth straight or slightly curved, slender, about 4" 

 long, its lobes shorter ; flowers white or pale blue ; anthers 

 basifixed, the 2 upper oval, the other on a longer filament 

 and linear; fruit oblong. 



In mud or shallow water, Connecticut to New Jersey, Georgia, 

 Illinois and Louisiana, and in South and Central America and 

 the West Indies. July-Sept. 



