54 BEKBERIDACEJE. (BARBERRY FAMILY.) 



2-leaved, 1-flowered. (Name from novs, a foot, aud (pvXXou, a leaf, probably 

 referring to the stout petioles.) 



1. P. peltatum, L. Stamens 12- 18; leaves 5 - 9-parted, the lobes ob- 

 long, rather wedge-shaped, somewhat lobed and toothed at the apex. — Kich 

 woods, common. May. — Flowerless stems terminated by a large round 7-9- 

 lobed leaf, peltate in the middle like an umbrella. Flowering stems bearing 

 two one-sided leaves, with the stalk fixed near their inner edge ; the nodding 

 white flower from the fork nearly 2' broad. Fruit ovoid, 1-2' long, ripe in 

 Julv, sweet and slightly acid, edible. The leaves and roots are drastic and 

 poisonous ! — Found occasionally with from 2 to 6 carpels ! 



Order 6. NYMPH^EACE.^. (Water-Lily Family.) 



Aquatic perennial herbs, with horizontal rootstocks and peltate or some- 

 times only cordate leaves floating or emersed ; the ovules home on the sides 

 or back (or when solitary hanging from the summit) of the cells, not on the 

 ventral suture ; the embryo enclosed in a little bag at the end of the albu- 

 men next the hilum, except in Xelumbium, which has no albumen. Rad- 

 icle hardly any ; cotyledons thick and fleshy, enclosing a well-developed 

 plumule. — Flowers axillary, solitary. Vernation involute. Rootstocks 

 apparently endogenous. — The few genera differ so much in the flower 

 and fruit that they are separated into the three following suborders. 



Suborder I. Cabombese. Sepals and petals each 3 or sometimes 

 4, hypogynous and persistent. Stamens definite (3-18). Pistils 2-18, 

 free and distinct, coriaceous and indehiscent, 1 - 3-seeded on the dorsal 

 suture. — Stems slender, leafy, coated with mucilage. Flowers small. 



1. Cabomba. Stamens 3-4. Carpels 2-3. Submersed leaves capillary-multifid. 



2. Brasenia. Stamens 12 -18. Carpels 4 - 18. Leaves all peltate. 



Suborder TL Nelumb6iie8e. Sepals and petals numerous in 

 several rows, passing gradually into each other, and with the indefiidtely 

 numerous stamens hypogynous and deciduous. Pistils several, 1-ovuled, 

 separately immersed in the obconical receptacle, which is much enlarged 

 and broadly top-shaped at maturity, the imbedded nut-like fruits resem- 

 bling small acorns. Embryo large ; no albumen. — Petioles and pedun- 

 cles all from the tuberous rootstock, the centrally peltate leaves and the 

 flowers large. 



3. Nelumtoo. Character of the Suborder. 



Suborder III. Nymph aeaceae proper. Sepals 4 - 6, and petals 

 numerous in many rows, persistent or decaying aw^ay, either hypogynous 

 or variously ad nate to the surface of the compound 8-30-celled ovary, 

 which is formed by the union of as many carpels ; the numerous ovules 

 inserted over the whole inner face of the cells, except at the ventral 

 suture. Stigmas radiate as in Poppy. Fruit baccate, with a firm rind. 

 Petioles and peduncles from a thick rootstock. 



4. NynxpliPea. Petals adnate to the ovary, large ; the stamens on its summit. 



5. Nuphar. Petals (very small and staraen-like) and stamens inserted under the ovary. 



