Lzmnanthemum.'] GentlduacecE. 1 89 



obtuse lobes and a triangular sinus, faintly and coarsely 

 crenate, rather thick, glabrous, strongly involute in bud ; 

 petiole stout, \-^ in. ; fl. over 20 in the umbel, ped. 2-4 in., 

 bracts ovate, acute, membranous ; cor, \\ in. diam., lobes 

 usually 6, oblong-oval, obtuse, densely covered above with 

 copious long cottony papillose hair ; capsule nearly globose ; 

 seeds 30 or more, not muriculate, shining, yellow. 



Ponds and shallow streams in the moist low country up to 1500 ft.; 

 very common. Fl. all the year ; white, with a yellow centre. 



Throughout the Eastern Tropics and Mascarene Islands. 



This familiar small water-lily (and also L. cristatmn) has a peculiar 

 method of growth. The erect branches of the rhizome look precisely 

 like the petioles of the floating 1., appearing strangely to give off 

 flowers near their summit. The actual articulation of the really short 

 petiole with the branch can, however, easily be seen, and at the same 

 point on the upper side (apparently lateral) arises a bud (at first en- 

 closed in bracts), from which is developed the inflorescence, a number 

 of rootlets and (from a point above the flowers from a leaf-scale like 

 those on the rhizome) a new branch. The flowers appear above the 

 surface of the water between the lobes of the 1., the outer ones open- 

 ing first, the unopened buds being immersed in colourless jelly; they 

 sink to mature the seed. They are dimorphic, and the earliest name, 

 L. Wightianuni, Griseb., refers to the long-styled form only. 



2. Ii. cristatum, Griseb. in DC. Prod. ix. 139 (1845). Kin- 

 ambala, 6*. 



Menyanthes crisiata, Roxb., Moon Cat. 13. Thw. Enum. 205. 

 C. P. 1870. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 131. Roxb. Cor. PI. ii. t. 105. Wight, 111. t. 157 b, f. 4. 



Rhizome short, erect, branches as in L. iiidicuiu but shorter 

 and more slender, floating 1. as in the last but smaller, 3-4I in., 

 purplish beneath with broad green veins; petiole \-\ in., fl. 

 numerous, ped. |-2 in., slender, glabrous ; cor. f in. diam., 

 lobes obovate, rounded, with a wide undulated longitudinal 

 wing or crest down the centre, margin somewhat undulated, 

 not hairy or ciliate; capsule broadly ovoid; seeds 10 or more, 

 globose, strongly muriculate, pale yellow-brown. 



Ponds and shallow water in the low country below 1000 ft.; rather 

 common. Fl. Aug., Sept.; white. 

 Also in India and China. 



3. Ii. parvifolium, Griseb. in DC. Prod. ix. 141 (1845). Bin- 

 olu, S. 



Mettyanthes campesiris, Moon Cat. 13. L. Moonii., Thw. Enum. 205. 

 C. P. 2842. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 132. 



Aquatic or terrestrial, rhizome small, erect, with numerous 

 roots, branches very slender, 3-12 in. (according to situation), 

 erect, pellucid, producing from the terminal bud a single 1. 



