210 BURMA, ITS FEOPLE AND PRODUCTIONS. 



Blyxa, Thouars. 



Flowers usually tlicceious, in a loug tubular spatlie, 2-tootlicil at the top. Mule 

 flowers several in the spathe, protrTuling from it as they expand, rer'uitith of 3 outer 

 herbaceous, and 3 inner petal-like segments. Stamens 8 or 9. Anthers linear. 

 Female flowers solitary in the sheath, with a long filiform perianth-tube, the segments 

 as in the males. Ocary linear, with 3 parietal placentas. Stigmas 3, entire. 

 Capsule linear, with a few seeds. 



B. EoxBUEGHii, Eich. Eivulets in Kamorta (K.). India. 



Ceylon. S. China. 



Vallisneeia, Linnaus. 



This genus is not mentioned by Mason, but no doubt it occurs in Burma. As 

 it grows submerged, a remarkable provision is noticeable with reference to its 

 fertilization. Vallisneria is dioecious, but the male plants always grow near the 

 female ones. " The fi-male flower, protected by a spathe, is borne on a long peduncle 

 which rises from a tuft of radical leaves, and the ovary bears three foi'ked stigmas. 

 The male flowers are borne on a . very short peduncle, and are sessile on a conical 

 axis enveloped in a spathe. At the flowering period the female peduncle gradually 

 lengthens, so that the flower finally floats on the surface of the water, and opens 

 its perianth of six very minute segments. Then the male flowers, which have hitherto 

 remained submerged, detach themselves spontaneously from their peduncles, and rise 

 to the surface, where numbers of them may be seen floating around the f< male flower, 

 on which the anthers elastically project an abundance of pollen. After fertilization, 

 the peduncle of the female flower contracts spirally, and the orary descends to the 

 bottom of the water to ripen its seed.'" 



ANA CHARIDIE^. 



Caulescent. Leaves opposite or whorled. 



To this tribe belongs the American water weed Anacharis, which has proved such 

 a nuisance in some English canals, where it flourishes luxuriantly, having been intro- 

 duced jn'obably into the English docks in timber. 



CLASS IV. DICOTYLEDONS. 



Stem when peeenmax fuenished with a pith, sueeouxded bt concenteic latees 



OF WOOD, and the WOOD BY A SEPAEABLE BAEK. FlOEAL WHOELS USUALLY IN FOTJES OK 

 FIVES, OE lirLTIPLES OF THOSE NUMBEES. 



Sub-class GYMHOSPJEEMS. 



Ovules naked. Ovary or stigma none (save in Gnetaeea-). Seeds naked, fertilized 

 by the lUrect application of the pollen to the apex of the nucleus, wluch the pollen- 

 tube penetrates. Flowers unisexual (except in Welwitsehia). 



Order CYCADE^. 



Flowers dioecious, the males in large cones consisting of numerous thickened flat, 

 or variously peltate scales bearing the numerous pollen-cells on the under- surface or 

 on both surf'aces. Follen-eells dehiscing by a longitudinal slit, sessile or very shortly 

 stalked, often stellatcly connected by threes or fours, rarely free. Female flowers 

 either consisting of a earpellary leaf (spadix), and in this case crowded round the apex 

 of the trunk, or more usually consisting of flat, or thickened, or variously peltate 

 scales forming a large cone. Ovules large, sessile, either several inserted along the 

 border of the spadical stalk, or solitaiy at each side of the scale. Seeds more or less 

 ovoid, dry and hard, or the integument thin and coloured outside, and fleshy under the 



' Mannt .ind Dceai<nc, p. LOfi. 



