440 HYDRO CHARIDACE^S. (FROG'S-BIT FAMILY.) 



7-9; ovaries short-pointed (ripe fruit not seen). (Alissna subul.'ita, Pursh.) 

 Low shores, near Philadelphia, &c. Apparently distinct from dwarf forms of 

 the last ; hut needs further investigation. 



S. k NiTAN8, Michx., apparently the only remaining good species in the Unit- 

 ed States, is only found farther south. 



ORDER 117. HYDROCHARIDACE^E. (FROG'S-BIT FAM.) 



Aquatic herbs, ivith dioecious or polygamous regular flowers on scape-like 

 peduncles from a spathe, and simple or double floral envelopes, which in the 

 fertile flowers are united into a tube and coherent with the l-9-celled ovary. 

 Stamens 3-12, distinct or monadelphous : anthers 2-celled. Stigmas 3 or 

 6. Fruit ripening under water, indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds ascend- 

 ing, without albumen : embryo straight. 



Synopsis. 



TRIBE I. STRATIOTIDB^E. Ovary 6-9-celled: stigmas 6-9. 



1. LIMNOBITJM. Filaments unequally united into a solid column in the staminate flowers 

 anthers 6 - 12, linear. 



TMBS H. VALLISNERIE.E. Ovary 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentae : stigmas 3. 



3. ANACHABJS. Stem leafy. Tube of the perianth of the fertile flowers long and thread- 



form ; its lobes 6. 

 8. VALLISNERIA. Stemless. Tube of the perianth not prolonged beyond the elongated 



ovary ; its lobes 3. 



1. L<IMNOBHJM, Richard. AMERICAN FROG'S-BIT. 



Flowers dioecious, (or monoecious?) from sessile or somewhat peduncled 

 spathes ; the sterile spathe 1 -leaved, producing about 3 long-pedicelled flowers ; 

 the fertile 2-leaved, with a single short-pcdicelled flower. Calyx 3-parted or 

 cleft ; sepals oblong-oval. Petals 3, oblong-linear. Filaments entirely united 

 in a central solid column, bearing 6-12 linear anthers at unequal heights : there 

 are 3 -6 awl-shaped rudiments of stamens in the fertile flowers. Ovary 6-9- 

 celled, with as many placentae in the axis, forming an ovoid many-seeded berry 

 in fruit : stigmas as many as the cells, but 2-parted, awl-shaped (ovules orthotro- 

 pous, Torr.). A stemless perennial herb, floating in stagnant water, prolif- 

 erous by runners, with long-petioled and round-heart-shaped leaves, which are 

 spongy-reticulated and purplish underneath ; rootlets slender, hairy. Sterile 

 flowers rather small ; the fertile larger : peduncle nodding in fruit. Petals 

 white? (Name from Xi/m>j3ios, living in pools.) 



1. Li. Sjumiiia, Richard. (Hydrocharis, Bosc. H. cordifolia, Nutt.) 

 Braddock's Bay (Monroe County, N. Y.), Lake Ontario, Dr. Bradley, Dr. Sart- 

 weU. (Otherwise only in the Southern States.) Aug. Leaves l'-2' long, 

 faintly 5-nerved. Peduncle of the sterile flower about 3' lorg, thread-like ; of 

 the fertile, only 1', stout. 



