336 HYDROLEACE^E. (HYDROLEA FAMILY.) 



acuminate ; pedicels short or elongated ; sepals linear-oblong, acute, two thirds 

 the length of the pale blue or white corolla; stamens exserted Prairies of 

 Alabama, Buckley. April. 



ORDER 97. HYDROLEACE^E. (HYDROLEA FAMILY.) 



Glandular-pubescent or bristly herbs, with entire alternate leaves. 

 Flowers regular, axillary and solitary or clustered, or in terminal corymbs 

 or coiled bracted spikes. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla somewhat bell- 

 shaped, 5-lobed, imbricated in the bud. Stamens 5, inserted on the tube 

 of the corolla, and alternate with its lobes, the filaments oftener hairy. 

 Styles 2, separate : stigmas capitate. Ovules numerous, anatropous. 

 Capsule many-seeded, more or less 2-celled by the meeting of the 2 pari- 

 etal placentae, 2- or rarely 4-valved, opening through the middle of the 

 cells, or at their margins. Embryo straight, in fleshy albumen. 



1. HYDROLEA, L. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla short, bell-shaped, 5-cleft; the lobes spreading. 

 Stamens somewhat exserted, with the filaments dilated at the base : anthers 

 sagittate. Styles 2 (rarely 3), separate. Capsule globose, 2-celled, or imper- 

 fectly 4-celled by the introversion of the placentae, 2-valved. Herbs, grow- 

 ing in water or muddy places, with entire leaves, often with spines in their axils, 

 and blue axillary or corymbose flowers. 



1 H. COrymbosa, Ell. Spineless; stem erect, hirsute, and branching 

 above; leaves ovate-lanceolate, sessile ; the veins and margins slightly pubes- 

 cent ; flowers in a close terminal corymb ; calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute, hispid, 

 J as long as the corolla. Pine-barren ponds, in St. Stephen's, South Carolina, 

 Elliott. July and Aug. Stem 2 high, creeping at the base. Leaves !'-!' 

 long. Corolla " azure, with yellowish veins and 5 white spots near the base." 

 Capsule 2-valved. 



2. H. quadrivalvis, Walt. Spiny ; stem ascending from a creeping 

 base, hispid, mostly simple ; leaves lanceolate, acute, pubescent on the veins, 

 tapering into a petiole ; flowers axillary, the lower ones clustered, the upper sol- 

 itary, short-peduncled ; calyx-lobes linear, nearly as long as the corolla ; sta- 

 mens included ; capsule almost 4-celled, by the introversion of the placenta;, 

 2-valved. Pools and muddy banks of streams, Florida to North Carolina, and 

 westward. July and Aug. Stem 1 -3 long. Leaves 3' -4' long. 



2. NAMA, L. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla tubular-funnel-shaped, 5-cleft, Stamens included, 

 the filaments equal : anthers reniform. Ovules numerous, anatropous, pendulous. 

 Styles 2, distinct. Capsule oblong, many-seeded, seemingly 2-celled by the 

 meeting of the placentae at the axis, 2- or at length 4-valved. Seeds pitted. 



