380 PONTEDERIACEAE. 
Leaves mostly reniform, sometimes cordate-ovate. 1. H. reniformis. 
Leaves ovate or oval, sometimes slightly cordate. 2. H. limosa. 
3. H. dubia. 
Leaves linear, grass-like, floating. 
1. Heteranthera reniformis R. & P. Mud 
Plantain. (Fig. 916.) 
Heteranthera reniformis R. & P. Fl. Per. 1: 43. 1798. 
Leplanthus reniformis Michx. F1. Bor. Am. 1: 25. 1803. 
Stems creeping in the mud, rooting at the nodes. Leaves 
cordate or reniform, rarely cordate-ovate and acute, the 
blades 6’’-15/’ long, 8’’-16’” wide; petioles sheathing, 1/—4/ 
long; spathe 2-5-flowered; tube of the perianth straight or 
slightly curved, slender, about 4’ long, its lobes shorter; 
flowers white or pale blue; anthers basifixed, the 2 upper 
oval, the other on a longer filament and linear. 
In mud or shallow water, Connecticut to New Jersey, Illinois 
and Kansas, south to Louisiana, and in South and Central 
America. 
2. Heteranthera limosa (Sw.) Willd. 
Smaller Mud Plantain. (Fig. 917.) 
Pontederia limosa Sw. Prodr. 57.1788. 
Heteranthera limosa Willd. Neue Schrift. Ges. Nat. 
Fr. Berlin, 3: 439. 1801. 
Leptanthus ovalis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1:25. 1803. 
Stems commonly much branched from the base, 
6’-15’ long. Leaves numerous, oval or ovate, ob- 
tuse at the apex, rounded or slightly cordate at the 
base, 1’ long or less; petioles 2/-5’ long; spathes 
1-flowered, often on peduncles 1’ long or more; 
flowers white or blue, usually larger than those of 
the preceding species; filaments equal or nearly 
so; anthers linear, often sagittate. 
In mud or shallow water, Virginia to Kentucky and 
Missouri, south to Florida, Louisiana and throughout 
tropical America. 
3. Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacM. Water Star-grass. (Fig. 918.) 
Commelina dubia Jacq. Obs. Bot. 3:9. pl. 59. 1768. 
Leptanthus gramineus Michx. Fl. Bor. Am, 1: 25. 1803. 
Heteranthera graminea Vahl. Enum. 2: 45. 1806. 
Schollera graminea A. Gray, Man. 511. 1848. 
Fleteranthera dubia MacM. Met. Minn. 138. 1892. 
Aquatic, stem slender, forked, often rooting at the 
nodes, 2°-3° long. Leaves linear, flat, elongated, acut- 
ish, finely parallel-nerved, their sheaths thin, furnished 
at the top with small acute stipule-like appendages; 
flowers light yellow, the perianth-segments narrow; 
stamens nearly equal; tube of the perianth 1/’-13’’ long; 
spathe 1-2-flowered; filaments dilated below; anthers 
linear, 2’’ long, sagittate; style shorter than the stamens; 
stigma several-lobed; capsule 1-celled with 3 parietal 
placentae, many-seeded. 
In still water, Ontario to Oregon, south to Florida and 
Mexico. Also in Cuba. Occasionally occurs in a small 
form on muddy shores. July-Oct. 
