ALISMACE. 73 
above 2 or 3, and often they are solitary. It is now generally con- 
sidered a mere variety, but it would be desirable to raise it from seed 
to make it certain that its peculiarities are not constant. 
Lesser Water-Plantain. 
French, Fliéteau renoncle. German, Hulnenfussartiger Froschliffel. 
SPECIES UII—ALISMA NATANS. Lim. 
Pirate MCCCCXLI. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. VII. Tab. LIV. Figs. 95 and 96. 
Radical leaves reduced to linear attenuated translucent phyllodia, 
very rarely stalked, with an oval subcarious lamina; leaves near the 
extremity of the scape (or rather stem), stalked, elliptical or oval 
or oblong-elliptical, wedgeshaped at the base, obtuse, floating, sub- 
eoriaceous, 3-ribbed. Stem filiform, submerged, commonly rooting at 
the nodes, the lower nodes with narrow leaves resembling the radical 
ones; the upper part racemose, with solitary or opposite (rarely whorled) 
pedicels, and a terminal umbel of about 3 flowers. Flowers very few. 
Achenes in few rows in a globular head on a subglobular receptacle, 
-oboyate-oblong-fusiform, abruptly acuminated at the apex into a short 
beak, with 12 to 15 slender ribs. 
In lakes. Rare. It has been reported from the counties of 
Worcester, Salop, Hereford, Glamorgan, Merioneth, Carnarvon, 
Anglesea, York, Cumberland, and Wigton; of which Shropshire, the 
Welsh counties, and York are the only ones which have been recently 
verified. Rare and local in Ireland, and confined to the west of the 
England, Scotland (?), Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, 
| Autumn. 
Radical leaves submerged, 1} to 8 inches long, tapering gradually 
from the base to the apex, rarely, when the plant grows on mud, 
“stalked, with the lamina subcoriaceous and oval. Stem (which is 
evidently the representative of the scape of A. ranunculoides) floating, 
“varying from 3 inches to 2 feet according to the depth of the water, 
with roots and leaves at the nodes as in A. ranunculoides var. repens; 
the upper leaves almost always floating, oval, elliptical or oblong, 4 
to 1 inch long, resembling in texture those of Potamogeton polygoni- 
folius, the lateral ribs close to the margin. Pedicels solitary or 2 
‘(rarely 3) from each node, the terminal umbel 3- rarely 5-flowered. 
Peduncles at length 1 to 3 inches long. Flowers about } inch across, 
‘Tesembling those of A. ranunculoides, white with a yellow eye. 
t 
/ Carpels 6 to 15, in a smaller and laxer head than in A. ranunculoides, 
| VOL. Ix. L 
