214 TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. SciqiUS. 



firmer texture than the others and visible on the outside, even when the 

 plant is growing. — -Leaves none except a slender short sheuth or two 

 at the base of each culm. — Spike terminal, solitary, cylindric, naked. 



Scales oblong, membranaceous margined. — Stamens three. — Sti/>le 



two or three-cleft, at the base swelled out into an ovate-cordate, com- 

 pressed shape. — Seed obcordate, surrounded with glochidute bristles. 

 Obs. For the ceconomical uses of the tuberous roots of this plant, I 

 beo- leave to refer to Abbe Grosier, and other historians who have 

 had opportunities of observing in what manner they are employed 

 by the Chinese, and to the following extract from Mr. Duncan's 

 letter which accompanied the plants. 



" The Maa4ai, Pee-tai or Pi-tse of Abbe Grosier, the zcater-chss- 

 " nut, grows in ponds, which are manured forits reception about 

 " the end of March. A pond being drained of its water, small pits 

 " are du^^ in its bottom, these are filled with human manure, and 

 " exposed to the sun for a fortnight ; their contents are then inti- 

 *' mately blended with the slimy bottom of the pond, and the slips 

 " or roots of the plant deposited therein ; the water is now return- 

 " ed to the pond, and the new crop of tubers come to perfection 

 " by the beginning of September. 



" This nut is in high estimation among all ranks of Chinese, 

 *' riot only as a pot root, but also a medicine. It is eat either boiled 

 " or raw. I will not vouch for the truth of the singular virtues as- 

 " cribed to the Maa-tai, but just relate one of the most plausible. 

 *' The children here often play with cash in their mouths, which 

 " sc^metin^es slip down into the stomach, and bring on alarmmg 

 " symptoms. The nut is immediately given in quantities, either raw 

 " or boiled, and they say it never fails to give relief being consider- 

 *' ed as specific which has the effect of decomposing the metal." 



2. S. plantagi7ms. Linn. Sp. Pl.ed. Willd. 1. 291. Rotth. gram. 

 45. t. 15./. 2. Vahl Enum. PL 2. £51. Retz. Obs. 5. 14. 



Culms, culumnar, from two to four feet high, intercepted. Spike 



