154 HEXANDRIA — POLYGYNIA. [Alisma. 



thread-like sfi/les running up the whole leng-th of the tube. The leaves 

 aiul fruit ap|)t';ir in spring and are vvithorod before summer. Its pro- 

 ])ertios are said to be similar to tliose of the v/ficinal St/uill, and it has 

 been employed as a suljstitute for the famous jLJau nicdicinale. 



HEXANDRIA— HEXAGYNIA. 



28. AcTiNOCARPUS, Br. Star-fruit. 



1. A. Damasoninm, Br. (^common Star -fruit) ; capsules 6 

 subulate compressed opening longitudinally, leaves 5-nerved. 

 Hook, in Fl. Loud. N. S. cum ic. — Alisma Dainasonium, L. — 

 E.Bot.t.ie>\5. 



Ditches and pools, mostly in a gravelly soil, and chiefly in the middle 

 and south-eastern counties of England. Fl. June, July. If. — Leaves 

 radical, on long petioles, floating, elliptical. Scapes with a terminal 

 umbel, generally proliferous. Petals white, very delicate, obcordate, 

 each having a yellow spot at the base. Capsules with two seeds upon 

 evident stalks, one from the upper angle, horizontal, the other from the 

 lower angle of the axis, erect, oblong, tubercled and transversol}' striated, 

 compressed, with a deep furrow on each side, occasioned by the form 

 of the embryo within, which is cylindrical, and bent double, somewhat 

 like a horse-shoe. 



HEXANDRIA— POLYGYNIA. 



29. Alisma. Linn. Water- Plantain. 



1. A. Plantdgo, L. (^greater Water-Plantain); leaves ovate 

 acute, fruit depressed, capsules obtusely trigonal. E. Bot. t. 837. 



Near the margins of lakes, rivers and ditches, frequent. Fl. July. If. 

 — 2 — 3 feet high. Leaves all radical, on long stalks. Scape branched 

 upwards ; branches all whorled, bracteated, compound ; flowers of a 

 pale rose-colour. Embryo curved, as in Actinocarpus. 



2. A. nutans, L. [floating Water-Plantain^; leaves elliptical 

 obtuse, stem floating and rooting, peduncles simple. E. Bot. 

 t. 77.5. 



Lakes in North Wales and Cumberland : very rare in Scotland. Black 

 Loch, 6 miles from Stranraer. On Hovvth and in Cunnamara, Ireland. 

 Fl. July, Aug. If. — At the base of the jilant are long, linear-lanceolate, 

 membranous scales, or abortive root-leaves. Stem-leaves floating, on 

 long stalks, scarcely nerved. 



3. A. ranunculoides, L. (lesser Water- PIantai7i); leaves all 

 ' radical linear-lanceolate, scape umbellate, fruit globose squar- 



rose, capsules acute. E. Bot. t. 326. — /3. with creeping runners. 

 A. repens, " Davies Welsh Bot. 36." E. Bot. Suppl. t. 2722. 

 Ditches and turfy bogs, not uniVequent in England, Scotland, and 



Ireland /3. In lakes. North Wales. Fl. Aug. Sept. If. — In general 



appearance most allied to A. Plantacjo, es[)ecially the narrow-leaved 

 Scottish variety of that plant. But it is much smaller, having larger 

 flou:ers,s\\\\Q\\ are pale-coloured, and arranged in often proliferous umbels. 

 The most essential character is to be found in the germen ^lA fruit. 



