8 CXXXI. HYDROCHARIDE^ (wRIGHT). [Boottia. 



Stamens 6-12 ; anthers erect, oblong. Pistil rudimentary. Calyx and 

 corolla similar to those of the male. Staminodes small. Ovary 

 produced into a thick beak, more or less perfectly divided into 6 cells 

 by the intrusion of the placentas; styles 6-15, linear-filiform, 2-fid ; 

 ovules many. — Aquatic herbs with the habit of Ottelia. Spathe with 

 the two lateral ribs prominent. 



Species about 8, extending to Burmah. 



Male flowers exserted from spathe. 



Leaves 5-uerved . . . . . . . . 1. S. exserfa. 



Leaves 9- nerved . . . . . , . . 2. £. Fischeri. 



Male flowers enclosed in spathe. 



Scape and spathe rough . . . . . . . Z. B. scahra. 



Scape and spathe smooth. 



Leaves ligulate . . . . . . . . 4. 5. crassifolia. 



Leaves lanceolate . . . . . . . h. B. ahyssinica. 



Leaves broadly ovate . . . . . . . 6. -S. macrantha. 



1 . B. exserta, Ridl. in Journ. Linn Soc. xxii. 240, pi. 13. Rhizome 

 very short. Leaves ovate-elliptical, obtuse, 5-nerved, coriaceous, 2 J-5 in. 

 long, l|-2 in. wide ; petiole 9 in. long. Scape not exceeding 10 in. in 

 length. Spathe narrow, 1-2 in. long, subcylindrical, scarcely dilated at 

 the apex, trifid, one side being more deeply cut. Male flowers about -6, 

 exserted from the spathe. Sepals thin, much shorter than the petals. 

 Petals ovate, obtuse, yellow shading into white near the apex. Female 

 flower solitary. Calyx-tube exserted from the spathe ; lobes narrow, 

 coriaceous, green, 7 lin. long. 



XVIozanib. Sist. Portuguese East Africa : Shire River, a few miles above 

 Shamo, Kirk I Quilimane, Scott ! 



A specimen in Kew Herbarium, collected in Angola by Sir H. H. Johnston, may 

 belong to this species. 



2. B. Fischeri, Giirke in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 95. Leaves 

 ovate, obtuse, narrowed at the base into a thick petiole, fleshy, 

 coriaceous, 9 -nerved, crisped at the margin. Male spathe large, ovoid, 

 very thick, glabrous, wingless, many-flowered, teeth very acute. Male 

 flowers exserted a long way from the spathe. Petals yellow. 



M'lle Ziand. German East Africa : Ussukuraa; Usiha, Fischer, 588. 

 I have seen no specimen of this species, but it appears to be closely related to 

 B. exserta, Ridl. 



3. B. scabra, Benth. d- Hookf. Gen. PI. iii. 454. Leaves submerged, 

 thin, oblanceolate, acute, 1 J-2 ft. long, 2 J in. wide ; petiole 1 ft. long, 

 expanded at the base into an amplexicaul sheath Ij in. wide. Scape 

 2J ft. long, rough. Spathe ampullseform, rugose, 3 in. long, 1 in. wide, 

 with 3 teeth, split lower on one side. Sepals lanceolate, 6-9 lin. long, 

 smooth. Petals yellow. — Eidley in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxii. 239 ; 

 Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 95. Ottelia scabra, Baker in Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xxix. 151. 



Nile Ziand. Sides of the Nile, 12° N., Speke and Grant, 770^ ! Gazelle River, 

 Schweinfurth, 1121 ! 



