DIOECIA-ENNEANDRIA. Hydrocharis. 219 



also in Scotland, according to Lightfoot and Hooker : thou^li 

 Dr. Alston asserted the contrary. 



Annual. July— September. 



Root much branched ; simple at ilie crown. Herb from G to 12 

 inches high, erect, bushy, .smooth, of a bright shining green" 

 disposed to turn blueisli after drying, like the foregoing' 

 Branches numerous, crossing each other. Leaves ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, less copiously serrated. Fl. green ; the barren ones 

 in small tuffs, ranged in interrupted spikes; fertile ones fewer 

 stalked, axillary, destitute of nectaries. The qualities of this 

 are like the last, though supposed rather less virulent. 



Dr. Alston reported that the fertile plant sometimes bore rii)e 

 seed, though at a distance from the barren or staminiferous 

 one. In fact, a few flowers with stamens have, by several per- 

 sons, been found now and then intermixed witli the others, 

 which will account for the above phaenomenon. 



451). HYDROCHARIS. Fro^-bit. 



Linn.Gen.-)27. Juss.67. Fl. Br. 1084. Lam. t. 820 

 Morsus ranae. Dill. Gen. 149. t. 9./. A F. 



Nat. Ord. Pahncv. Linn. 1. Hmlrocharides. Jiiss. '^^ 

 DeCand. 115. 



Barr. JI. Cal. in 3 deep, equal, ovate-oblong, concave 

 segments, membranous at the edges. Pet. 3, much 

 larger, roundish, undulated, alternate witli the calyx. 

 FiUim, 9, awl-shaped, erect, in 3 rows ; the intermediate 

 row producing, from its base internally, an awl-shapcd 

 stalk, or beak, resembling a style, stationed in the cen- 

 tre of the flower; the 2 other rows are connected at the 

 base, l)oth adhering to the aforesaid stalk. Anth, below 

 the })ointed summit of each filament, at the Inside, of 2 

 round lobes, those of the 2 outer rows chiefly perfect" 

 ^ In the centre arc occasional rudiments oi' ii ^tf-mc/i. 

 Fat. Jl. Cal. and Pet. as in the bar. J. Gnm. infLrioi-, 

 romulish. Sti/les 6, as long as the calyx, compressed' 

 channelled. Sti<^mas cloven, acute. (\ij)s. neailv lcIo- 

 bular, leathery, of G cells. Sca/s numerous, rou'iuhsh 

 minute. ' 



An a(juatic, floating, smooth //r;7;, the only species, is 

 nearly allied to Stratiotes, v. 3. 33. It increases by float- 

 ing ?/ni,irrs, and has no other stem. The /renVs are 

 entin-. /7. radical, stalked, white; each of the barren 

 ones With a simple, concave, sheathing A/y/rAv/. Then- 

 arc sometimes a few imperfect ant/urs, chislereil aboui 



