CLASS XV. ORDER I.J SUBULARIA. 895 



those warm countries the labour is frequently over before the plant it 

 fully expanded. From this circumstance it is called Kaf Maryam, 

 that is, Mary's hand, but more commonly called Holy-rose. After the 

 plant has been thus expanded by moisture, it again resumes its former 

 shape upon drying, and the operation may be repeated again and 

 again even after it has been dried for years ; hence it has had given 

 the generic name of Anastatica, derived from avaorao-K, resurrection. 

 Such a high value is placed upon these plants in Jerusalem, and some 

 other of the cities of Palestine, that a friend who has several times 

 visited them informs us that he can barter with them for almost any 

 valuable articles, and that a present of one of these " Roses" to 

 the women, will obtain their aid and assistance to procur all that is in 

 their power to add to the comfort of travellers. 



GENUS XV. SUBULA'RIA. LINN. Awl-wort. 



Nat. Ord. CRUCIF'ER.E. Juss. 



GEN. CHAR. Silicula oval, pointless, with turgid valves. Seeds 

 numerous. Cotyledons linear, biplicate. (c Fig. 5, p. 872.) 

 Stigma sessile. Name from subula, an awl ; on account of the 

 awl shape of the leaves. 



1. S. aquat'ica, Linn. (Fig. 1034.) Awl-wort. 



English Botany, t. 732. English Flora, vol. iii. p. 157. Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 249. Lindley, Synopsis, Suppl. p. 319. 



Root of numerous long white simple fibres, penetrating the mud. 

 Leaves all radical, quite smooth, awl-shaped, spreading, from one to 

 three inches long. Scape simple, round, slender, smooth, erect, from 

 two to four inches high, bearing at the top a racemose cluster of a few 

 white flowers. Calyx of four equal ovate concave pale green pieces. 

 Corolla of four small ovate white petals. Stamens with simple fila- 

 ments and ovate yellow anthers, of two cells. Fruit an ovate obtuse 

 silicula, with somewhat convex valves, smooth, two celled, each con- 

 taining several small flat ovate dark brown seeds, the cotyledons with 

 long twice curved lobes, and the curvature taking place above the 

 cotyledons. 



Habitat. Shallow margins of alpine lakes; common. 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



This little water plant, the only known species of the genus, is re- 

 markable, as expanding its flowers often several feet below the surface 

 of the water, and there performing its functions and fertilizing its 

 seeds, a circumstance very unusual in aquatic plants, as generally they 

 are in some way or other furnished with the means of elevating theii 

 flowers above the surface of the water, there to expand for the 

 purpose of fecundation, as in the Utricularia, vol. 1, Nymphcea, 



