DIOECIA— ENNEANDRIA. Ilydrocharis. 249 



also in Scotland, according to Lightfoot and Hooker ; though 

 Dr. Alston asserted the contrary. 



Annual. July — September. 



Root much branched; simple at the crown. Herb from 6 to 12 

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

 disposed "to turn blueish after drying, like the foregoing. 

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

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

 in small tufts, 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 ripe 

 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 with the others, 

 which will account for the above phsenomenon. 



459. HYDROCHARIS. Fiog-bit. 



Linn. Gen. 527. Juss. ()7 . Fl. Br. 1084. Lam. t. 820. 

 Morsus rans. Dill. Gen. 149. t. 9./. A— F. 



Nat. Ord. Palmce. Linn. 1. Hydrocharides. Juss. 22. 



DeCand. 115. 

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

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

 larger, roundish, undulated, alternate with the calyx. 

 Filam. 9, awl-shaped, erect, in 3 rows ; the mtermediate 

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

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

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

 base, both adhering to the aforesaid stalk. Anth. below 

 the pointed summit of each filament, at the inside, of 2 

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

 In the centre are occasional rudiments of a germen. 

 Ferf.Jl. Cal. and Pet. as in the barr.Jl. Germ, inferior, 

 roundish. Styles 6, as long as the calyx, compressed, 

 channelled. Stigmas cloven, acute. Caps, nearly glo- 

 bular, leathery, of 6 cells. Seeds numerous, roundish, 

 minute. 

 An aquatic, floating, smooth herb, the only species, is 

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

 ing runners, and has no other stem. The leaves are 

 entire. FL radical, stalked, white ; each of the barren 

 ones with a simple, concave, sheathing bractea. There 

 are sometimes a few imperfect anthers, clustered about 



