AMENTACE^E. 317 



ORDER CX. SAURURE^E. Rich. Lind. 



Flowers naked, seated upon a scale, monoclinous. Sta- 

 mens 6, clavate, hypogynous, persistent ; filaments slender ; 

 anthers continuous with the filament, cuneate, with a thick 

 connecticum and 2 lateral lobes bursting longitudinally. Ova- 

 ries 4, each distinct, with 1 ascending ovule and a sessile re- 

 curved stigma, or connate into a 3 or 4-celled pistil, with a 

 few ovules ascending from the edge of the projecting semi- 

 dissepiments. Fruit consisting of 4 fleshy indehiscent nuts 

 or 3- or 4-celled capsule, opening at the apex and containing a 

 few ascending seeds. Seeds with a membranous integument ; 

 embryo minute, lying in a fleshy lenticular sac, which is seat- 

 ed on the outside of mealy albumen at the end most remote 

 from the hilum. 



Herbs growing in marshy places, or floating in water. 

 Leaves alternate, with stipules. 



1. SAURURUS. Libn. 



Flowers in an ament, or crowded spike. Scales 1-flower- 

 ed. Stamens 6. Antliers adnate with the filaments. Cap- 

 sule 4, each 1- or rarely 2-seeded, not opening. 



* - Hexandria. Tetragynia. 



-. ' ,, . \ .'..;" 



S. ccrnuus Linn. Anonymos aquatics, Walt, 



HAB. Swamps. Can. to Car. Aug. If, Steml 2 feet high, 

 leafy, forked above. Leaves sagittate-cordate, acuminate, nerved 

 beneath. Flowers very small, greenish-white, in spikes opposite 

 the leaves, cernuous. Lizard' s-tatt. Swamp Lily. 



ORDER CXI. AMENTACE^E, Juss. 



Flowers monoecious or dioecious. STERILE FL. in aments, 

 with scales, or a scaly perianth! Stamens inserted into the 

 scales, definite or indefinite, rarely monadelphous ; anthers 2- 

 celled. FERTILE FL. in aments, solitary or fasciculated, 

 with scales or perianths. Ovary free, simple, rarely several ; 

 stigmas many. Fruit a drupe, or a bony or membranaceous 

 capsule, mostly 1-celled. Seeds 1 or many ; albumen none ; 

 radicle straight. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate. 

 27* 



