131. HYDROCHARITACEJS. [4. Bltxa. 



minute, many in an ovoid 2-fid axillary sessile spathe, sej^als petaloid, 

 petals rather shoi'ter, anthers 2-3, ovoid, 3 staminodes often present, 

 pistillode 0. Fern. fl. solitary, sessile in a narrow oblong spathe, 

 hypanthium produced into a long filiform beak above the ovary, 

 perianth as in male, staminodes 0. Ovary oblong, styles 3, stout, 

 notched. Ovules manj', orthotropous. Fruit ovoid, oblong or linear, 

 many-seeded. 



1. L. alternifolia, nov. comb. Syn. Valisneria alternifolia, Roxb. 

 Lagarosiphon Roxburghii, Benth. 



A very slender waterweed Avith distant linear leaves \" or more 

 (up to 4" long and -15" broad). Male spadix transparent, finally 

 2-leaved, flowers on a short spadix, perianth reflexed and swimming 

 on the surface when the anthers are ripe. Female with scarious 2-fid 

 spathe wrapping round the lower part of flower, the pinkish perianth 

 of which at the end of the long hyj)anthium floats on the water. 



Many specimens from the old province of Bengal ure found in herbaria without 

 more precise locaUty and it is probably common in our area as it occurs in East 

 Bengal ! United Provinces, Dutkie ! Nepal, Kew Herb, ! Calcutta ! Peninsular 

 Wight ! Fl. Ang-.-Nov. 



Clarke deiicri])iid the male fl. as with a 4-leaved external coloured perianth and 

 a 2-leaved internal one so delicate as to be difficult to see. He also describes the 

 M. fl. (from an iinopened spathe) as a simple anther, "a l»ag containing a few 

 large, white pollen grains." Tlie habit is somewhat that of Pofainoflefon c)Hi:}}>'s. 



3. VALLISNERIA, L. 



Submerged tufted stemless stoloniferous herb with very long linear 

 leaves. Dioecious. Male fl. very numerous, minute, in spathes 

 projecting from the bases of the leaf-sheaths, spathes very shortly 

 peduncled, sepals 3, petals 0, stamens 1-3, anthers didymous, j)istillode 



0. Fem. fl. solitary in a tubular spathe terminating a very long 

 filiform spiral peduncle. Perianth as in male, staminodes 3, 2-fid. 

 Ovary narrow, stigmas 3 broad, notched. Ovules many. Fruit linear, 

 included in the spathe, many-seeded. 



1. V. spiralis, L. 



Leaves straight from the root, grass-like, flaccid, 3"-l ft. long 

 according to the depth of the water, longer about -So-'o" broad, 

 wavy, translucent, entire or tips serrulate. ]\la]e spathes ovoid 

 3-lobed, •2--25", breaking off at the base, Avhen the floAvers emerge 

 and float on the surface. Fem. spathe Avith floAver -6", floating on 

 the surface Avhen ready for pollination and again AvithdraAvn beneath 

 it by the spirally coiled peduncle to ripen the seed. 



Bottoms of tanks and lakes. Behar, in the R. Soane and its affluents, J.D.IT. ! 

 Hazaribagh, Bagodar, Keir Herb, I 13et\veen Calcutta and Agra, Jacq.l No 

 doubt throughout the province, being distributed from the Punjab and United 

 Provinces to Calcutta Fl. Jan. -May. 



4. BLYXA, T ho liars. 



Habit of ValUsneria Avith linear acute, entire or minutely serrulate 



leaves. Dioecious or floAvers 2-sexual, Male fl. several in a tubular 



2 -toothed spathe on long or short peduncles from the leaf axils ; 



sepals 3, linear ; petals 3, Longer ; stamens 3-9, 1 or more rudimentary, 



853 



