152 THE FLORA OF SINGAPORE. 
MONOCOTYLEDONES. 
HYDROCHARIDEX. 
Hydrilla verticillata Casp. A common water weed in ditches 
Tanglin, Chan Chu Kang. 
Blywa malaccensis Ridl. An aquatic with grassy leaves. Tang- 
lin, Chan Chu Kang. 
Enhalus Koenigit Rich. “Setul.” A marine plant with long 
strap-like leaves. The male flowers are very small and 
white, borne in a pair of large green boat-shaped bracts 
on the end of a long stalk. When fully developed the 
inflorescence rises to the surface, and the flowers break 
off and float away till they come in contact with a female 
flower which they fertilise. The sea is sometimes sprin- 
kled all over with them. The female flowers are solitary 
inthe bracts. After fertilization the stalk contracts intoa 
spiral and the fruit is drawn down to the bottom of the 
sea to ripen. It is ovoid, green and hairy, about 14 inch 
long. Malay children eat it. The Dugong ( Halicore ) 
lives mostly on the leaves of this plant. It is very abun- 
dant in shallow bays in the Johore Strait, round Blakang 
Mati and wherever the sea is shallow enough for it. 
Halophila ovata Gaud. A small creeping marine plant with 
obovate leaves. Abundant in shallow bays in mud. 
Changi, Blakang Mati. 
BURMANNIACEZ. 
Burmannia coelestis Don. ‘ Sisik Naga.” <A slender little plant 
with blue urn-shaped flowers, in grassy spots, common. 
Tanglin, Pasir Panjang, Mt. Faber. 
B tuberosa Becc. A small white saprophyte, usually almost 
completely burizd in the ground. Flowers white 
with yellow corolla lobes, scented of cowslips. Damp 
