19 



II. NYMPHS A. Water-lily. 



Carpels 16-20, polyspermous, included within the 

 enlarged torus, with the stigmata radiating over a 

 berry-like fruit. Nectary 1, in the centre of the 

 stigma, sessile, ovato-globose. Sepals 4, surrounding 

 the margin of the torus. Petals 16-28 adnate on an 

 elevated torus which covers the ovary. 



Name, given to this genus from the circumstance of the 

 plants, of which it is composed, growing in water, the resi- 

 dence ascribed by the poets of antiquity to the Water-Nymphs. 



1. Nymphaea. Large Water-lily. 

 Leaves peltate sinuato-dentate very glabrous, nerves 



beneath very prominent and areolately reticulated. 



Sloane, Hist. I. 252. Browne, <M3De Cand. Syst. II. 54- 



HAB. Lagoons, and ponds of water. Near the Ferry. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



Leaves peltate, cordate, sinuato-dentate, with the under sur- 

 face of deep purple colour, and traced with prominent reticula- 

 ted nerves : petiole terete, coloured. Sepals 4, lanceolate, 

 nerveless, externally green marked with purple dots, upwards 

 of an inch in length. Petals 12-20 (the two outer ones sepal- 

 oid,) oblong, slightly narrowing towards the base, obtuse, thin, 

 white, longitudinally veined. Stamens numerous, in about 4 

 rows, inserted (as also the petals) on the under surface of the 

 elevated torus. Stigmata 15-20, peltately rayed. Nectary in 

 the centre of the shield of the stigmata, sessile, hemispherical. 

 Carpels of the same number as the stigmata, many-seeded : seeds 

 attached to the sides of the carpels, arillated. 



There is a variety common in the ponds near the sea-shore 

 in St George's, in which the leaves are duplicate- dentate. 



2. Nymphsea blanda ? Marsh-lily. 

 Leaves cordate very entire, nerves on the under 



surface channelled, petals 1216 acuminate. 



N. alba, major, Shane, I. 252. Lunan, Hort. Jam. II. 271 

 N. blanda, Meyer, Prim. Fl. Esseq. 201. De Cand. Syst. II. 59. 



HAB. Ditches and marshy land, not common. Marsh, on 

 the road from Montpelier estate to the Penn, St Thomas in 

 the east. 



FL'. Throughout the year. 



Calycine sepals 4, lanceolate, marked externally with purplish 

 streaks or dots. Petals in my specimens 12, (the 4 outermost, 

 sepaloul), shorter than the sepals, but twice the length of the 



