34 POLYANDRIA-PENTAGYNIA. Stratiotes. 



the size of the vulgaris. Double varieties of our Common Co- 

 lumbine, with white, pink, or dark crimson flowers, are frequent 

 in gardens, and there is one whose nectaries are obliterated, and 

 the petals greatly multiplied, usually rose-coloured. 



274. STRATIOTES. Water-soldier. 



Linu. Gen. 277. Juss.G7.Ft. Br. 579. Lam. t. 489. Gcertn.t. 14. 



Nat. Ord. Pahnce. Linn. 1. Hydrocharides. Juss. 22. De- 

 Cand.115. 



Cal. superior, of 1 leaf, tubular, erect, the border in 3 deep, 

 deciduous segments. Pet. 3, alternate with the calyx, 

 and twice as long, obovate, concave, slightly spreading. 

 Filam. about 20 or fewer, shorter then the segments of 

 the calyx, and proceeding from its tube. Anili. vertical, 

 awl-shaped. Germ, inferior, elliptical, obtusely triangu- 

 lar. Styles 6, deeply cloven, full as long as the stamens. 

 Stigmas simple. Berry coated, oval, with 6 or more 

 cells, and as many angles, tapering at each end. Seeds 

 numerous, obovate, in 2 rows. 



Aquatic herbs, with radical, ribbed, simple, serrated or en- 

 tire leaves, and white ^ower^, orv va.d\c?i\ stalks. Each 

 Jlovoer is accompanied by a permanent sheath, or bractea, 

 of a single leaf, variously divided, which is not wanted to 

 strengthen the generic character, and indeed does not be- 

 long to the parts of fructification. There are some In- 

 dian species with fewer stamens than ours, which is the 

 type of the genus. 



1 . S. aloides. Water Aloe, or Water-soldier. 



Leaves sword-shaped, channelled, with a prominent rib, 

 and sharp marginal prickles. 



S. aloides. Linn. Sp. PI. 754. fVilld. v. 4. 820. Fl. Br.579. Engl. 

 Bot. V. 6. t. 379. Hook. Scot. 171. Mill. Illnsfr. t. 50. Fl. Dan. 

 t.337. 



S. foliis aloes, semine longo. Raii Sijn. 290. 



S.aquaticus. Dalech. Hist. 1061./. 



Militaris aizoides. Ger. Em.S25.f. Lob. Ic. 375./. 



Aloe sive Aizoon palustre. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. 778. f. 



Water Aloe. Pet. H. Brit. t.7\.f.5. 



In deep fen ditches and pools. 



Plentiful in the isle of Ely, and in the marshy parts of Lincoln- 

 shire and Norfolk. Also, according to Withering, in Cheshire 

 and Yorkshire. 



