QRCH1DACE&. 177 



petioled, the floating long-petioled, ovate-lanceolate oblong or 

 cordate. Flowers solitary, 2-sexual, sessile within a tubular long- 

 peduncled spathe. Sepals 3, linear or oblong. Petals 3, longer 

 than the sepals, obovate or orbicular, with fleshy basal appendages. 

 Stamens 6-15, in 2-5 series, anthers erect. Ovary oblong, beaked, 

 almost 6-celled ; styles 6, linear, 2-fid. ; ovules many, placentas 

 diffuse. Fruit oblong, 6-valved, enclosed in the spathe, 3-6- winged. 

 Seeds many, oblong, testa pulpy. Species 6 or 7, in tropical or 

 subtropical regions of the world. 



O. alismoldes, p e rs. Syn. i, 400; F. B. I. F, 662 ; Prain Beng. 

 PL 997 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb, ii, 671. Damasonium indicum, Willd ; 

 Moxb. FL IncL ii, 216. 



A succulent flaccid herb, submerged or partially floating. Leaves 

 variable, 2-6 in. long, oblong or orbicular, cordate, membranous, un- 

 dulate, 7-11-nerved; petioles trigonous. Spathe 1-1J in. long, 

 1-flowered, 5-6-winged.; peduncles varying in length with the depth 

 of the water; wings of spathe unequal, undulate ; mouth 5-6-toothed. 

 Sepals small, oblong, green. Petals suborbicular, about 1 in. broad, 

 white with yellow base, reticulate- veined. Ovary narrowly oblong ; 

 placentas 6-12. Fruit 1-1J in. long, ellipsoid, crowned by the per- 

 sistent perianth. 



Abundant within the area of this flora, in tanks and slow-running water. 

 DISTRIB. : Throughout India and in Ceylon, extending to Australia. 



C VII. ORC HIDACE JE. 



Herbs of various habit, rarely shrubby, of two principal forms : 

 "either (1) terrestrial tuberous-rooted herbs with annual herbaceous 

 simple stems and solitary or spicate or racemose flowers ; or (2) 

 epiphytes with perennial stems or branches variously thickened 

 and often forming a pseudobulb, flowering from the top sides or 

 base of the pseudobulb ; bracts usually present. Flowers 2-sexual, 

 irregular, often showy. Perianth superior, of 6 free or variously 

 combined segments in two series ; 3 outer segments (sepals) more 

 or less alike, the 2 lateral sometimes connate in a short or long sac 

 or spur-like base (mentum) ; 3 inner (petals) dissimilar, the 2 lateral 

 ;alike, the other (lip) usually very differently shaped. Stamens 

 -and style united in a column opposite the lip ; fertile anthers usually 



