4 cxLi. PONTEDERIACE^ (browx). \^Heter anther a. 



capsule that is much longer than those of the other flowers on the 

 spike. — Durand <fe Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419. 



Upper Guinea. Senegal ; Pozo Cervalo, Perrottet, 779. 



1 have not seen this plant, which is described as having the facies of a Potamo- 

 geton, and said to differ from H. callafolia, Reichb., and H. kotschyana, Fenzl, in 

 having several closed flowers on the spike. 



2. EICHORNIA, Kunth ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. 

 PL iii. 888. 



Perianth funnel-shaped, witli a long or short tube ; segments a little 

 unequal, the interior series broadest, and the upper segment of that 

 series usually marked with a spot. Stamens 6, the 3 upper ones 

 included, the 3 lower more or less exserted, usually with longer filaments 

 and inserted higher up the perianth-tube ; filaments filiform ; anthers 

 dorsifixed, oblong. Ovary sessile, 3-celled ; style filiform ; stigma 

 slightly dilated or very shortly 3- or 6-lobed ; ovules numerous in each 

 cell. Capsule included in the marcescent perianth-tube, ovoid, oblong 

 or linear-fusiform ; pericarp membranous. Seeds numerous, ellipsoid 

 or oblong, finely ribbed ; embryo cylindric, in the centre of the albumen. 

 — Aquatic herbs, entirely floating, or the lower part of the stem creep- 

 ing and rooting in the mud. Leaves with long petioles sheathing at 

 the base, and obovate, orbicular, ovate or lanceolate blades, cordate or 

 narrowed at the base, or the submersed leaves linear ; sheath of the 

 petiole often much produced at the apex and then described as a stipule. 

 Inflorescence pedunculate, spicate or paniculate, with a convolute sheath- 

 like spathe or rarely an expanded bract at its base, or fasciculate within 

 the sheath of the leaf. 



A small genus of 6 species, all (except the following) Tropical American. 



1. E. natans, >SWms in Ahhandl. naturw. Ver. Bremen, vii. 254. 

 Stems branching, about I lin. thick. Submersed leaves 2-4 in. long, 

 1-1 J lin. long, sessile, linear, acute. Floating leaves petiolate, ^-1 in. 

 long, 5-10 lin. broad, ovate or orbicular, olDtuse,. or rarely acute, cordate 

 with small rounded overlapping lobes at the base. Stipules varying 

 from 1 lin. long in the submersed leaves to 1^ in. Jong on the floating 

 leaves, obtuse, more or less sheathing the stem, membranous, reticulate 

 with dark purple cross-veins. Flowers apparently arising from below 

 the middle of the petioles of the floating leaves, but in reality terminat- 

 ing short lateral 1 -leaved branches of the main stem, shortly peduncu- 

 late, solitary in a tubular membranous obtuse spathe J in. long. 

 Perianth-tube 5-G lin. long at the expansion of the flower, rapidly 

 elongating afterwards to 10-11 lin. long; limb small, 6-lobed, blue, 

 about \ in. diam. Capsule 5-6 lin. long, narrowly fusiform. Seed& 

 numerous, oblong, with numerous exceedingly fine longitudinal ribs. — 

 Solms in DC. Monogr. Phan. iv. 526; Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 137; 

 Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 418. Pontederia natans, Beauv. Fl. 

 Oware, ii. 1 8, t. 68, fig. 2 ; Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 526. Roem. & Schultes,. 



