^riocaulori.] cliv. ERiocAULEiE (brown). 231 



the warmer regions of both hemispheres, most numerous in Tropical America, very 

 few in the temperate regions. 



The species of this order are often very difficult to discriminate on account 

 of their great similarity and minute floral structure. For dissection, however, the 

 dried flower-heads do not require to be boiled, since if placed in a drop of cold wator 

 they absorb it with very great rapidity and are immediately ready for disseciion, but 

 they require to be examined under a lens of high power. The btructure of the 

 flowers and sometimes the hairs on the sepals are best seen if examined in water, but 

 the hairs on the receptacle and on the flowering bracts are best seen when in a drv 

 state, especially when the hairs on the latter are very Hue and not of the more usual 

 stout, opaque-white type. The shape of the peduncle is described as seen in thin 

 transverse sections in water, where, by a little manipulation, it may easily be made to 

 assume its original outline, which cannot be correctly determined otherwise. 

 Stamens twice as many as the petals, 4 or 6, or fewer 

 by abortion, in two alternating series. Styl^- 

 branches 3, without alternating appendages. (See 

 also Foepalanthus Welwitschii, in which the alter- 

 nating non-stigmatic appendages are absent.) 

 Petals free, sometimes rudimentary, rarely absent . 1. Eriocaulon'. 

 Petals connate into a tube, but with free claws in the 



female flowers 2. Mesamiiemim. 



Stamens equal in number to the petals and opposite to 

 them, in one series. Style-branches 6, 3 of them 

 stigmatose, simple or bifid, and 3 others alter- 

 nating with them Or arising from the style lower 

 down, not stigmatic and usually shorter and 

 stouter. Petals of the male flowers connate into 

 a minute funnel-shaped tube ; of the female 

 fl.owers free, or connate into a tube at their middle 

 or upper part, with free claws . . . .3. P.i:i'ALANTiiis. 



1. ERIOCAULON, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. 1020. 



Sepals 2-3, very rarely absent ; in the female flowers free, equal or 

 unequal, all concave, boat-shaped, flattened or filiform, rounded cr 

 keeled on the back, or the 2 lateral concave or boat-shaped and the 

 third much narrower and flattened or filiform, often bearded on the 

 apical part, or ciliate; in the male flowers free or variously combined. 

 Petals 2-0, sometimes rudimentary or absent in the male flowers, rarely 

 wanting in the female flowers, free, often with a gland on the inner 

 face near the apex, glabrous, ciliate or hairy. Stamens in two series, 

 double the number of the petals or by abortion fewer ; anthers 2-celled. 

 Staminodes in the female flowers none. Ovary 2-3-celled ; style- 

 branches 2-3, simple, filiform, without alternating appendages. — Marsli 

 or aquatic herbs, usually stemless, with the leaves all radical, or occa- 

 sionally with the stem or rhizome elongated below the tuft of leaves, 

 or in a few species with a simple or branched leafy stem. Peduncles 

 one-headed. Heads globose, hemispherical or oblong, rarely campanu- 

 late. Flowering bracts oblong, obovate or linear, concave or flattL^h. 

 The other characters as for the Order. 



Species about 160, found in all the warmer parts of both lieniisphcus, and in 



