186 



PHILYDRACEiE. 



[Endogens. 



Order LIV. PHILYDRACE^.— Waterworts. 



rhilydrere, R. Br. (1832?) ; Lindl. Nixus, 22. (1833) ; Endl. gen. lii.; Meisner, p. 406; Kunth 



Enum. 3. 379. 



Diagnosis. 



-Xyridal dipetalous Endogens loithout a calyx, with 3 stamens of xvhich 2 are 

 abortive, and an embryo in the axis ofjleshy albumen. 



Root fascicled-fibrous, 

 somewhat 



Stems erect, simple, leafy, often woolly, 

 cellular, equitant 



Leaves ensiform, 



Fig. CXXV 



with thei r half-sheathing bases. 



Spikes termmal, simple or 



divided. Flowers alternate 



solitary, sessile, subtended 



by a spathaceous persistent 



bract, yellow, scentless. Calyx 



abortive. Corolla 2 ■• leaved, 



coloured, withering. Filaments 



3, united at the base, inserted 



into the base of the lower leaf 



of the perianth ; the lateral 



ones petaloid and sterile ; an- 

 ther with distinct cells. Ovary 



superior; style simple; stigma 

 capitate ; ovules numerous, on narrow, parie- 

 tal or axile placentae, horizontal, anatx'opal. 

 Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved ; the valves having 

 the partition in their middle. Seeds numerous, 

 minute, horizontal ; their skm thick ; with 

 the embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen. 



These are herbaceous plants, havuig the 

 great spathaceous bracts of a plant of the 

 Musads, combuied with the habit of Sedges ; 

 and at the same time liaAang a flower hke that 

 of a Spiderwort, minus its calyx and one petal. 

 It is micertain what the exact analogy of its 

 petaloid divisions may be ; but they appear 

 to belong to the corolla. Brown regards the 

 Waterworts as having some relation to Bur- 

 mannia, and even to Orchids, on account we 

 presume of the constant abortion of 2 out of 

 the 3 stamens. Their nearest relationship, 

 however, is plamly with Xyrids and Spiderworts, from the former of which they differ 

 in the want of a glumaceous calyx, and from both in the large embryo lying in the axis of 

 the albumen. 



The only plants of this Order yet discovered are found in New Holland, Cochin- 

 china, and China, 



Nothing is known of any use to which they may be applied. 



Philydnim, Banks. 



GENERA. 



Garciana, Lour. 



Hetaeria, Endl. 



Numbers. Gen. 2. Sp. 2. 

 Position.— Commelynaceoe 



Orchidacece. 

 Philydraceje. 



-Xyridacese. 



S-^" ^^^y^Iv"^®^^'* °^ Philydrum lanuginosum, divided perpendicularly so as to show the emhryo. 

 tig. CXXVII.— 1. Hetaeria pygmsea ; 2. a flower ; 3. the fertile stamen and two lateral sterile ones : 

 a cross section of the ovary. 



