336 HYDROLEACE^. (HYDROLEA FAMILY.) 



acuminate; pedicels short or elongated ; sepals linear-oblong, acute, two thirds 

 the length of the pale blue or white corolla; btameus exsened — Praiiies of 

 Alabama, Buckley. April. 



Order 97. HYDROLEA CE.E. (Htdrolea Family.) 



Glandular-pubescent or bristly herbs, with entire alternate leaves. 

 Flowers regular, axillary and solitary or clustered, or in terminal corymbs 

 or coiled bracted spikes. — Calyx 5-parted. Corolla somewhat bell- 

 shaped, 5-lobed, imbricated in the bud. Stamens 5, inserted on the tube 

 of the corolla, and alternate with its lobes, the filaments oftener hairy. 

 Stjles 2, separate : stigmas capitate. Ovules numerous, anatropous. 

 Capsule many-seeded, more or less 2-celled by the meeting of the 2 pari- 

 etal placentfe, 2- or rarely 4-AaIved, opening through the middle of the 

 cells, or at their margins. Embrjo straight, in fleshy albumen. 



1. HYDROLEA, L. 



Calyx 5-partcd. Corolla short, bell-shaped, 5-clcft; the lobes spreading. 

 Stamens somewhat exserted, with the filaments dilated at the base : anthers 

 sagittate. Styles 2 (rarely 3), separate. Capsule globose, 2-ceIled, or imper- 

 fectly 4-cellcd by the introversion of the placentae, 2-vaIved. — Herbs, grow- 

 ing in water or muddy places, with entire leaves, often with spines in their axils, 

 and blue axillary or corymbose flowers. 



1 H. COrymbosa, Ell. Spineless ; stem erect, hirsute, and branching 

 above; leaves ovate-lanceolate, sessile ; the veins and margins slightly pubes- 

 cent ; flowers in a close terminal corymb ; calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute, hispid, 

 J as long as the corolla. — Pine-barren ponds, in St. Stephen's, South Carolina, 

 Elliott. .July and Aug. — Stem 2° high, creeping at the base. Leaves I'-H' 

 long. Corolla " azure, with yellowish veins and .5 white spots near the base." 

 Capsule 2-valved. 



2. H. quadrivalvis, Walt. Spiny ; stem ascending from a creeping 

 base, hispid, mostly simple ; leaves lanceolate, acute, pubescent on the veins, 

 tapering into a petiole ; flowers axillary, the lower ones clustered, the upper sol- 

 itary, short-peduncled ; calyx-lobes linear, nearly as long as the corolla ; sta- 

 mens included : capsule almost 4-celled, by the introversion of the placenta?, 

 2-valvcd. — Pools and muddy banks of streams, Florida to North Carolina, and 

 westward. July and Aug. — Stem 1° -3° long. Leaves 3'- 4' long. 



2. NAMA, L. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla tubular-funnel-shaped, 5-cleft. Stamens included, 

 the filaments equal : anthers renifonn. Ovules numerous, anatropous, pendulous. 

 Styles 2, distinct. Capsule oblong, many-seeded, seemingly 2-celled by the 

 meeting of the placenta; at the axis, 2 or at length 4-valvcd. Seeds pitted. — 



