Lacarosrpuon.] HY DROCHARITACES. 173 
Petals 3, narrow. Ovary produced beyond the spathe in a filiform 
beak, 1-celled; styles 2-3, linear, undivided, stigmas fimbriate, 
ovules anatropous. Fruit subulate, smooth or muricate. Seeds 
2-3, minute, oblong, testa shortly produced at each end.—A single 
species found throughout India and in Ceylon extending to 
Britain and C. Europe, Mauritius, Madagascar, Trop. Asia and 
Australia. 
Hi. verticillata. Royle Ill. 376 ; F. B. I. V,659 ; Watt BE. D.; Prain 
Beng. Pl. 995 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ti, 668. Serpicula verticillata, 
Linn. f. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii, 578. Vallisneria verticillata, Roxb. 
Fl. Ind. tii, 751. 
Stems slender, 1 ft. or more long, branching, flaccid, often rooting 
at the nodes ; branches with a short sheathing leaf at the base. 
Leaves sessile, 4-8 in a whorl, the lowest often opposite, }-3 in. 
long, linear or linear-oblong, apiculata, entire or serrulate, midrib 
prominent. Flowers }4-}in. long. Perianth-segments very variable. 
Fruit smooth or muricate. 
Abundant throughout the area of this flora in still or slowly running 
water; common also in all India and in Ceylon. Distr: See 
under the genus. The small membranous spathes of the male-flowers 
ultimately split and liberate the flowers which rise to the surface of 
the water, where they float, expand and scatter their pollen. Sugar- 
refiners in India use this plant, whilst moist, for covering the surface 
of their sugar in order to produce a slow percolation of moisture 
(See Royle MII. 1. c.). 
2, LAGAROSIPHON, Harv. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. v, 659. 
Submerged fresh-water herbs. Leaves scattered, fascicled or 
somewhat whorled ; lower opposite, serrulate. Flowers dicecious. 
Mae flowers minute, many in an ovoid 2-fid. axillary spathe. 
Sepals petaloid. Petals rather shorter. Stamens 2 or 3, filaments 
short, anthers ovate, with often 2 or 3 staminodes. FPistillode none. 
Fem. flowers : Staminodes none. Ovary oblong, produced into a 
filiform beak ; styles 3, stout, notched ; ovules many, orthotropous. 
Fruit ovoid oblong or linear, pericarp membranous. Seeds many, 
testa with a mucous coat.—Species about 12, in India, Africa and 
Madagascar. : 
