Pontederia. hexandria monogynia. 123 



3. P. Plantaginea. R. 



Diffuse. Leaves narrow, cordate. Racemes peduncled, 

 three-flowered. 



PIantao;inis stellatae foliae. Pluck, t. 2215. f. 4. agrees 

 much better with this, than with P. vaginalis. 



A native of marshy, or watery places over Bengal. 

 It flowers during the rains. Stems annual, and very tri- 

 fling, but spreading on the ground for a few inches so 

 that the radical fibres issue through the sheathes of the 

 leaves and strike into the earth. Leaves petioled, nar- 

 row-cordate, entire, taper, obtuse-pointed, smooth ; lobes 

 semicircular; nerves about five, and faintly visible on the 

 under-side only; the largest of the leaves is about two 

 inches long and one broad. Petioles from three to four in- 

 ches lon^, round, variously curved, with an opening about 

 the middle on the inside for the raceme ; from the mouth 

 of the stem-clasping base, a very large tapering ligule, or 

 bracte rises. Racemes peduncled, from two to four-flow- 

 ered, and erect till they decay, then recurved. Flowers 

 large for the size of the plant, short-pedicelled, bright, 

 deep blue. Calyx the spathe of the raceme, inserted 

 near its base. Coral one-petalled, to the base six-cleft ; 

 divisions \diiiceo\?de, the interior three narrower. Fila- 

 ments five smaller, and one large, with a hornlet as in 

 P. vaginalis and hasfafa. Anthers on the small filaments, 

 small and roundish; on the large, sagittate, oblong. Germ 

 oval, three-celled, each containing numerous ovula at- 

 tached to septal receptacles not far removed from the 

 axis. Style shorter than the stamina. Capsule oblong, 

 three-celled, three-valved. Seeds numerous, round. 



4. P. dHatata. Syme's embasy to Ava. 



Leaves cordate-sagittate. Umbel peduncled, drooping ; 

 flowers numerous, long-pedicelled. 



Hinds Cacheree. 



A Native of Bengal, &c. It flowers during the rainy 

 season. 



P2 



