\ * aiDALBS | 



M W \( 1.1. 





\4 



Order 1.VI1. MAYACE^. M 

 Mayaceas, Kunih. Enum. 



Diagnosis. Xyridal Endogcns, with 3 sepal intent, 



[-celled anthers, parietal placenta, and « minutt 

 album a. 



Moss-like plants, creeping over damp places, al »t entirely dcstitutt ol spin 



Leaves very narrow, pellucid, undivided. Flowei Kill, whit . 



Sepals \ .- 1 1 \ : 1 1 • • I herbaceous. Petals much loi 

 imbricated. Stamens 3, inserted into tin- bat 

 tlir Bepals ; anthers I -celled, adhering by tin- ! 

 to ;i thread-like filament, opening at the j •< >1 ut only. 

 Carpels 3, alternate with the Bepals, combined into 

 a I -celled ovary; placenta :'., parietal; ovules 

 sessile, horizontal, orthotrop&l ; Btyle thread-like ; 

 stigma simple. Capsule membranous, covered by 

 the permanent sepals and petals, L -celled, 3-valvi I ; 

 attached to the middle of the valves, round- 

 ish, ribbed, terminated by :i conical tubercle. 

 Alhntnan shaped lik>- the » ed, composed of angu- 

 lar orj rtal-like cells, arranged in a radiant manner. 

 Embryo very minute, antitropal, half plunged in " 

 the vertex of the albumen. 



Such appears to !»■ the Btructun , according to 

 Kuiitli, and Schott, and Endlicher, of a few plants 

 which are separated from the Spiderworts by the 

 former of these botanists. They are very little ' 

 known, and demand a fresh examination, but in 

 ili.- meanwhile :i|>j>« :n- to 1»- distinguished from the 



Spiderworts by their peculiar habit, their 1 -celled i i \\\ 



anthers, and their carpels being opposite tin- pi tals 

 (according to Schott ami Endlicher), while, on the other hand, the Xyrida 

 bj their monopetalous glumaceous capitate flowers ami 2-celled anthi 

 however, bat little other difference, unless the valvate calyx ol the M i the 



position of their carpels should afford additional characteristics Tins, howevi r, in 

 noted, that the figures given by the last mentioned botanists are :.t var ance with 

 account of tin- position of the carpels. No spiral vessels were d< i< cted b* & lili i I 

 tin- leaves and stems of Mayaca fluviatilis, except in the fl II' 



Arch, v. 231. 



The Few species thai are described inhabit the marshes of America, 

 to Virginia. 



Thev arc of QO known use. 



i.i mi; \. 



i 



- - 1. >i hreb. 

 .11, I'lur. 1 



1 nut. 



Nl HDI RS. ' ■! N. 1. Sp 



Posn i it i ommelynacese. Mo \< ' > Xyi 



i I XXX. — Mayaca Vandellii: I. at! 



ils, one of which is cut perpendicularly in order to il 



