330 HEXAKDRIA. TttlGl^NIA. 



none. Capsule (utvkuhihT) snbi arnose, 1 -celled, 

 1 to 2-seede(l, crowned by the persistent style. 



An aquatic plant; leaves without sheatliing petioles; 

 those of the stem demersed, opposite, Jig-itate, complicate- 

 ly and trichotomoiisly divided, seg-ments linear; floral 

 leaves floating, alternate, orbicular, pelt;ite, entire; flow- 

 ers solitary, axillary. 



Specie's. 1. N. aqnatlcn. The only species of the pfemis, 

 indigenous to the warnit-r parts of the U. S. and tropical 

 America. The J\\ pijmata of Mr. I'ursli is probably a va- 

 riety, but certainly a very differtnt plant from Fherkea. 



Order III.— TRIGYNIA. 

 339. SABAL. Adansoiu (Small Fan-palm.) 



Flowers hermaphrodite. — Spathcs partial. 

 Filaments of the stamina unconnected, thickish 

 at the base. Drupe spherical, dry and cartila- 

 ginous, 1-seeded. Seed indurated. Embryon 

 lateral. 



Stemless,or with a caudex sometimes a little elongated; 

 frond palmate, fanshaped, stipe unarmed; flowers pani- 

 culated (or the spadixj branched.) 



Species. 1. S- Admisoni. In troublesome abundance 

 around New Orleans; but less frequent tiian other species 

 in Georgia and Carolina. — The fruit is about the size and 

 form of black pepper, and almo.st of a horny consistence. 

 The strips of the leaves are handwove or platted into va- 

 rious utensils by the indigenes. There can be no reason 

 to suppose that the fronds of this species can be less ser- 

 viceable for platting into hats than th(/se of C/uitDccrops 

 paltr.ctto, a very durable manufacture, and justly esteemed 

 in London. 



2. Hisirix. Pursh, Tlor. Am. l.p. 240. under Chain<erop^. 

 The fronds undistinguishablc from those of the preceding 

 species by any other cbar?.cter tlian the appearance of 

 long axiUary spines: the infiorcsrcnce has not yet been 

 coirpared; its rare?occ!irrence amirlst so much of S. .Idan- 



I There is, l.owever, nothing sim'lar to the spadix of the 

 Akoide?^ either in this or the fallowing genus; a sophistical 

 circumstance with which iri±ny of my renders wll] doubt.Itss be 

 ^inscquaintcd 



