CXXtU. HYDROCnAIlITACE.i:. 671 



3. Blyxa echinosperma, Hooh.f. Fl. B. I. v. 5(1888) p. 661. An 

 annual almost stemless herb growing in shallow and deep water. 

 Leaves variable in length, 6 in. to 4 ft. long by \-^ in. broad, narrowly 

 linear, with entire or (under the lens) minutely denticulate margins, 

 blowers hermaphrodite, 1 in each spathe. Scapes filiform, elongate, 

 1-3 ft. long or more, depending on the depth of water. Sepals 3, 

 narrowly linear, obtuse, greenish. Petals white, often spirally twisted 

 at the tip. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3. Capsules 2-3 by -1- in., terete. 

 Seeds spinescent, sometimes ^ in. long (including the tails), with a long 

 filiform tail at each end. At the time of flowering the deep-water plants 

 become detached from the bottom and float on the surface (Talbot). 

 Woodr. iu Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 517; Prain, Beng. PL 

 p. 996. Hydrotroplius ecliinospermns, C. B. Clarke, in Joui'n. Linn. Soc. 

 V. 14 (1875) p. 8, t. 1.— Flowers : July-Oct. 



Stocks witbout locality in Herb. Kew. ! Peccan : Mali ablesh war, Cooke], Woodrow. 

 S. M. Country: Beigaum, Rifcliie, 1392! Kanaka: Yellapur, common in tanks, 

 Talbot, 287 I— Distrib. India (Bengal, W. Peninsula). 



5. OTTELIA, Pers. 



Submerged or partially floating fresh-water herbs ; root fibrous. 

 Leaves I'adical, crowded, of 2 forms, the submerged narrow, shortly 

 petiolate, the floating ovate-lanceolate, oblong or cordate with long 

 petioles. Flowers solitary, hermaphrodite, sessile within a tubular long- 

 pedunculate spathe. Sepals 3, linear or oblong. Petals 3, longer than 

 the sepals, obovate or orbicular, with fleshy basal appendages. Stamens 

 6-15, in 2-5 series ; anthers erect. Ovary oblong, beaked, almost 

 6-celled; ovules many; placentas diif itse ; styles 6, linear, 2-fid. Fruit 

 oblong, enclosed in the spathe, 3~6-winged. Seeds many, oblong ; testa 

 pulpy. — Distrib. Species 6 or 7, tropical and subtropical. 



1. Ottelia alismoides, Pers. Syn. PI. v. 1 (1805) p. 400. A 

 succulent flaccid herb ; roots fibrous. Leaves usually submerged, very 

 variable, 2-6 by 1-3 in. (when orbicular reaching 7 in. in diatn.), oblong 

 or orbicular, coi'date, membranous, undulate, 7-11-nerved; petioles 3- 

 gonous, their length depending on the depth of the water. Flowers 

 solitary. Spathe l-l? in. long, 5-6-winged ; peduncles varying in 

 length with the depth of water ; wings of spathe undulate, unequal ; 

 mouth 5-6-toothed. Sepals small, oblong, green. Petals nearly 

 orbicular, 1 in. broad, white with a yellow base, reticulately veined. 

 Ovary narrowly oblong; placentas 6-12. Fruit 1-1 1 iu. long, 

 ellipsoid, crowned by the withered perianth. Fl. B. I. v. 5, p. 662 ; 

 Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 4, p. 125 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12(1899) 

 p. 518 ; Prain, Beng. PI. p. 997. Ottelia indica, Planch. MS. ex Dalz. & 

 Gibs. Bo. Fl. (1861) p. 278. Damasonium indicum, Willd. Sp. PI. v. 2 

 (1799) p. 276 ; Grab. Cat. p. 200; Bot. Mag, 1. 1201.— Flowers : Dec- 

 Apr. 



Common in tanks, Dalzell cf" Gibson. Konkan: Stocks ; Bombay, Nimmo ex 

 Graham. Deccan : Poena, Woodrow ; Bijapur, Cooke ! ; Kolhapur, Cooke ! Gujarat : 

 Bulsar, Dr. Z?<sA ex Graham. — Distrib. Throughout India; Ceylon, Tropical Asia, 

 Australia. 



