440 HYDROCHARIDACEJE. (FROG'S-BIT FAMILY.) 



7-9 ; ovaries short-pointed* (ripe fruit not seen). (Alisma subuluta, Pursft.) - 

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

 the last ; but needs further investigation. 



S. NATANS, 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, witfi 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 1 - ^-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. STRATIOTIDEJE. Ovary 6 - 9-celled : stigmas 6 - &. 



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



anthers 6 -12, linear. 



TRIBE II. V A I,!.,! SXEKIEJE. Ovary 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentae : stigmas 3. 



2. ANACHARIS. 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, Kichard. AMERICAN FBOG'S-BIT. 



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

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

 the fertile 2-leaved, with a single short-pedicelled 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, To/r.). A stemless perennial herb, floating in stagnant water, prolif- 

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

 gpongy-reticulatcd and purplish underneath ; rootlets slender, hairy. Sterile 

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

 white "? (Name from Xifii/o/3ios, living in pools.) 



1. L.. Sp6iiSfisi, Richard. (Hydroeharis, Bosc. H. cordifolia, Nutt.) 

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

 well. Illinois, Vasey, and in the Southern States. Aug. Leaves l'-2' loug, 

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

 the fertile, only 1', stout. 



