Chapter VIII. 



Order VIII.— ELATINE^E. The Water Peppers, or Water-worts. 



Character op the Order, — Small water plants, rarely 

 shrubs, mostly prostrate, with usually opposite stipulate leaves. 

 Flowers small or minute, heniaphrodite, regular. Sepals 2-5, 

 free, imbricate. Petals 2-5, free, hypogynous, imbricate. 

 Disk 0. Stamens as many as the petals, or twice as many, 

 liypogynous, free. Orary free, 2-5 celled ; Styles 2-5, stigmas 



capitate ; Ovules numerous in the angles of the cells. Capsule 

 septicidal, the valves falling away and leaving the seeds at- 

 tached to a central column. Seeds straight or curved, with 

 terete embryo and no albumen. — Hatidbouk of New Zealand 

 Flora, p. 28. 



Description of the Order. 



STRIBUTED generally over tlie world, though a small order. Some of 

 the plants possess acridity, hence theii' English name of " Water Peppers." 

 There are six known genera and twenty-four species. New Zealand is 

 represented hy only one genus, that of Elatiiie. 



GENUS T. 

 ELATINE {Lhui.) The Water-worts. 



Generic Character. — Aquatic, creeping, glabrous, small 

 herbs, with pellucid dotted leaves, and minute, axillary, soli- 

 tary flowers. Sepals membranous, obtuse ; Ovary globose. 

 Capsule membranous, the septa either disappearing, or per- 



sistent on the axis. Seeds oblong or cylindrical, longitudinally 

 striated and transversely wrinkled. — Handbook of Sew Zea- 

 land Flora, p. 28. 



Description, etc. — A genus of dwarf annual aquatics, vdth rootmg pipe-like stems, 

 and opposite leaves. There are two British species, called Water-worts, both of imusual 

 occurence. U. hexandra is a minute plant scarcely an inch high, which groAvs on the 

 margins of lakes, where it forms a moss-like mat, sometimes extending under the water, 

 and in dry seasons, when it is left by the receding water, assuming a crimson hue. The 



