Rotala.] LVIII. LYTHRACEJE (HIERN). 469 



and subsessile, less than £ in. long ; lower internodes longer than the 

 leaves, the upper ones shorter. Flowers solitary in the crowded axils 

 of uppeT leaves, of a bright rose colour with 2 opposite and lateral 

 linear acute membranous bracts at base of calyx and exceeding its tube ; 

 dimorphous according to the comparative length of the stamens and 

 style. Peduncles very short, adnate to the base of the leaves. Calyx 

 campanulate, rose-coloured, 4-fid, not cornuate ; lobes deltoid, acute. 

 Petals 4, twice the length of the calyx-tube, obovate, shortly clawed, 

 persistent, not crumpled in the bud. Stamens 4, about length of 

 calyx or much exserted, inserted near base of calyx-tube. Ovary en- 

 closed in calyx-tube, 4-lobed, 4-celled, sessile ; style long and tortuous 

 or about length of calyx according as the stamens are short or long ; 

 stigma subcapitate. Capsule 4-valved at least at apex, ultimately 

 1 -celled, very shortly-stalked. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Huilla, 3800-5500 ft. alt., fl. January and October, Dr. 

 Welwitsch ! 



9. R. myriophylloides, Welrv. mss. Aquatic, stoloniferous, with 

 creeping rhizome, csespitose. Stems erect, numerous, simple or slightly 

 branched near the ends, succulent, about a foot high. Leaves whorled, 

 sessile, submersed ones capillary, not rigid, longer than the internodes, 

 J-^ in. long ; upper leaves floral, narrowly lanceolate, shorter than 

 the internodes except at the apex of the stem, about J in. long. 

 Flowers whorled, solitary and sessile in the upper axils. Calyx rose- 

 coloured, 8-veined, campanulate, 4-lobed, not cornuate; lobes deltoid, 

 shorter than the tube. Petals 4, of a deep rose colour, narrowly 

 elliptic, longer than the calyx-lobes. Stamens 4, much exserted. Ovary 

 ovoid, 2-celled, subsessile with hypogynous lobed disk shortly adnate 

 to the calyx-tube, exceeding the frequently torn calyx ; style straight, 

 as long as the ovary, included in the calyx. Capsule 2-valved, de- 

 hiscing septicidally from apex. Seeds about 6, oval, concave. — (Hy- 

 drdlythrum Wallichii, Hook. f. in Hook. Ic. PI. 1007 ; Gen. PI. i. 777, 

 {Rotala, Wall. Cat. 9059) is a congener of this plant. ) 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Huilla, 50Q0 ft. alt., fl. and fr. May, Dr. Welwitsch I 



10. R. serpiculoid.es, Welrv. mss. Erect, simple or slightly 

 branched, bright green, annual, 1-3J in. high. Stems quadrangular 

 and virgate. Leaves linear, attenuate at base into a short quasi-petiole, 

 £— | in. long, erecto-patent. Flowers 1-4 together, shortly peduncled, 

 with subulate bracts at or near the base of the peduncles. Calyx with 

 4 deltoid lobes, without cornua, reddish at the apex. Petals rare, 

 reddish. Stamens 1 or 2, arising from near base of calyx-tube, in- 

 cluded. Ovary 3- (?) celled ; style very short. Placenta compressed. 

 Capsule 3-valved, exceeding the calyx, reddish. Seeds compressed. 



Lower Guinea. Huilla, 3800-5500 ft. alt., flowers and fruits in April, Dr. Wel- 

 witsch I 



