208 



BUTOMACE.^. 



[EXDOGEXS. 



Aquatic plant? 



Order LXIV. BUTOMACEiE.— Butomads. 



Bntomex, Richard in Me)n. Mus.l. 364. (18]5); Encll. Gen. l.Meisner, Gen. p. 365. Kunth. E'tum. Hi. 16'2- 



Diagnosis. — Alls7nal Endogens loith 3-petaloideoits floioers, and many -seeded netted and 



parietal placentce. 

 Leaves very cellular, with parallel veins, often yielding a milky 



juice. Flowers in umbels or 



solitary, conspicuous, piu'ple, or 

 yellow, or white. Sepals 3, 

 usually herbaceous. Petals 3, 

 petaloid. Stamens definite or 

 indefinite, hj^jogi^Tious, some of 

 them occasionally abortive. 

 Ovaries free, 3, 6, or more, either 

 distinct or united into a single 

 mass ; stigmas the same num- 

 ber as the ovaries, simple ; 

 ovules 00, anatropal or campy- 

 lotropal, attached to a parietal 

 network. Achenia or follicles 

 many-seeded, either distmct and 

 rostrate, or xmited in a single 

 mass. Seeds minute, very nu- 

 merous, attached to the whole 

 of the mner sm-face of the fruit ; 

 albumen none ; embryo with the 

 same du'ection as the seed. 



These water plants are rea- 

 dily knoA\'u by their placenta 

 extendmg over the whole hning 

 of the fruit, which is formed 

 either of separate or concrete 

 carpels. In this respect there 

 is an evident analogy with 

 Water lihes, which Limnocharis 

 resembles in the structiire of its 

 fruit. De CaudoUe says that no 

 Endogens are lactescent ; but 



5 some of these yield milk in 

 abundance. Limnocharis ofiers 

 a singular example of a large 

 conspicuous open hole in the 

 apex of its leaf, apparently des- 

 tmed by nature as an outlet for 

 superfluous moistm'e, which is 

 constantly draming from it. 

 The species are natives of the 



4 marshes of Europe and Siberia, 

 the North Western provinces of 

 India, and equinoctial America. 

 Butomus umbellatus is acrid 

 and bitter ; its rhizome and 

 seeds have been regarded emol- 

 lient, refrigerant and solvent, 

 and were once officinal under 

 The roasted rhizome is eaten in the 



Fig. CXL. 



the name of Radix et Semina Junci floridi. 

 North of Asia. 



Butomopsis, Kth. 

 Tenagocharis, Hochst. 



GENERA. 



Butomus, Tonrn. 

 Hydrocleis, Rich. 



Numbers. Gen. 4 



Limnocharis, H. et B. 



Position. 



Sp. 7. 

 Nyriiphceacecs. 

 BuTOMACE^. — Ahsmaceae. 



Fig. CXL.— 1. Hydrocleis Commersoni 



placenta . 4. seed of Limnocharis Plumieri f-S.^a'secJion'oSlame' *'' ''™' 'P''^'' '"^ ^'°" ^'^ 



