103 



the seeds remaining : — all but fig. 1 more or less mag- 

 nified. 



V. 



ELATINE AMBIGUA. 



OcTANDRiA MoNOGYNiA. Nat. Ord. Elatineje. Camhass. 



Gen. Char. Cal. 3-4-partitus, persistens, inferus. Pet. 

 3-4. Stam. 3-6-8. Styli 3-4, breves. Caps. 3-4-val- 

 vis, 3-4-locularis. Semina cylindrica, longitudinaliter 

 sulcata, transversimque striata. Semina placentis cen- 

 tralibus affixa. 

 Elatine amhigua ; foliis oppositis ovato-subspathulatis, flori- 

 bus alternis oppositisque pedicellatis. (Suppl. Tab. V.) 

 A small, diffuse plant. Stems round, jointed, rooting at the 

 base, ascending towards the apex, 2-4 inches long. Leaves 

 opposite, ovate, entire, nerveless, attenuated at the base, 

 hence presenting a form which may be considered between 

 spathulate and ovate, bearing in their axils either two op- 

 posite flowers, or a flower and a branch. Stipules membra- 

 naceous, embracing the stem and base of the peduncle with 

 the petiole, but so small as to be invisible to the naked eye, 

 appearing, under the lens, slightly lacerated. Peduncles 

 opposite, solitary, l-flowered, at first drooping, afterwards 

 erect. Calyx of 3 linear, obtuse sepals. Corolla 3-petaled, 

 about twice as long as the calyx, of a pale rose-colour. 

 Stamens 3, opposite to the sepals, and of the same length as 

 the calyx. Anthers globular, 2-celled, bursting longitudi- 

 nally. Ovary obovate, closely embraced by the corolla. Styles 

 3. Stigmas simple, of a reddish colour. Capsule 3-valved, 

 1-celled ; seeds numerous, oblong-ovate ; attachment central. 

 [As Dr. Wight gives no particular station for this plant, 

 it is probably not of uncommon occurrence in India, notwith- 

 standinfj that Cambassedes seems to think the genus Elatine 

 peculiar to Europe. The present is, indeed, too nearly 

 allied to the British species. — H.'] 



Suppl. Tab. V. Elatine ambigua. Fig. 1, Plant. Fig. 2, 

 Portion of a flowering branch'. Fig. 3, Front view of 

 a Flower. Fig. 4, Capsule. Fig. 5, Capsule burst open 

 and showing the seeds : — all more or less magnijied. 



