820 ALISMACEiE. (WATER-PL.iNTAIN FAMILY.) 



or root-end of the seed-coat sej^araUe as a lid. Emhryo 

 straight^ surroimdedhj albumen — Fronds solitaiy or 24colier- 

 ing, ovate-orbicular to oblong-lauceolate. Staminate flowers 1 

 or 2, consisting of a single stamen, ])istillate consisting of a 

 single ovary, all enclosed in a bract or minute spathe, or 

 naked. Ovary 1-celled, 1-several-ovuled, style short, stigma 

 concave-peltate — The simplest and smallest of flowering 

 plants, propagated by the proliferous growth of a new individ- 

 ual from a cleft in the edge or base of the parent frond, 

 remaining connected for sometime or separating ; also by 

 autumnal fronds in the form of minute bulblets, which sink 

 to the bottom of the water, but rise and vegetate in spring. 

 LEHIXA, L. Duck- Weed. Duck's Meat. 



Fronds giving off a single rootlet from their lower surface. 

 Flowers exserted from a fissure in the margin of the frond, enclosed in 

 a bivalved spathe. Stamens 2, filaments thread-like, anthers 2- celled, 

 cells with 2 cellules one above the other, transversely dehiscent. Ovary 

 1-G-ovuled — Plants with no spiral ducts. 



L«. minor, L. If Fronds obovate to obloug-obovate, .003 long, 

 a little one-sided, flat. Utricle short-urn-shaped, tipped with a short 

 style ; seed half anatropous, horizontal, parallel with the margin of the 

 frond — Summer — Stagnant water ; rarely seen in flower or fruit, 



Tristram says that IVolffla liyalina, Del., is found in Palestine. 



Order CXVIII. AL.IS]HACEiE, L. C. Rich. (Water-Plaktain 



Family) . 



Marsh herls^ with SGa])e-like^ flowering sterns^ and per- 

 fect or monoicious floioers^ not on a sjMdix, consisting of a 

 calyx, corolla, hypogynous stamens, and ovaries separate or 

 separatinfi at maturity, fo^^ming as many \-%seeded pods or 

 akenes — Stamens 6-oo , anthers 2-celled, dehiscent lengthwise. 

 Ovaries 3-oo , each with a style, whorled or capitate. Carpels 

 indehiscent. Albumen 0. Embryo hooked. 



1. ALISMA. Ovary 1-celled, with ], basilar, erect ovule. 



2. DAMASOXIUM. Ovary 1-celled, with 2-oo ovules, on a central placenta. 



3. BUTOMUS, Ovary 1-celled, with oo ovules on a parietal, reticulated placenta. 



4. TKIGLOCIIIN. Ovaries C, united into 1, separatiag at maturity, 1-celled, l-ovuled. 



1. AL.I^MA, L. If Water-Plantain. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals 3, herbaceous, persistent. Petals 3, 

 larger than cMyx, deciduous, involute in aestivation. Stamens G, an- 

 thers attached at back of base. Ovaries numerous, implanted in a disk- 

 like receptacle, each containing 1, erect ovule, with extrorse micropyle, 

 lateral style and obsolete stigma. Carpels compressed, coriaceous, 1- 

 seedcd. Seed erect. Embryo hooked-— Aquatics with whorled flowers 

 in panicles. 



A, Plaiitago, L. If .5 to .8; leaves long-pctioled, ovate to ob- 

 long-lanceolate, cuneatc to cordate at base. Flowers on long, whorled 



