210 X. 



depressed in the middle, with sometimes a central umbilicate gland (Nymphcea) ; ovules 

 usually numerous, inserted on the walls of the septa. FRUIT a several- celled berry, 

 bursting irregularly when ripe, rarely separating into distinct carpels. SEEDS often 

 furnished with a saccate pulpy aril (Nymphcea, Euryale) ; albumen farinaceous. 



GENERA. 

 Nuphar. *Nymphw. Barclaya. * Euryale. 'Victoria. 



SUB-ORDER II. CABOMBE31. 

 (CABOMBEJE, Richard. HYDROPELTIDE^E, D.C. CABOMBACE^B, Asa Gray.) 



SEPALS 3-4. PETALS 3-4, hypogynous, persistent. STAMENS 6, 12, or 18 ; 

 filaments subulate ; anthers extrorse or lateral. OVARIES 3-2-4, or 6-18, free, 

 whorled, inserted on a narrow torus, narrowed into styles, stigmatiferous at the top 

 (Cabomba), or throughout their length (Brasenia) ; ovules 2-3, pendulous. Ripe 

 CARPELS enclosed in the persistent calyx and corolla, often solitary by arrest, 

 follicular, indehiscent. SEEDS with a fleshy copious albumen. 



GENERA. 

 Cabomba. Brasenia. 



SUB-ORDER III. NEL UMBONE&. 



(NELUMBONE^E, Bartling. NELUMBIACE^E, Lindl.) 



SEPALS 4-5. PETALS and STAMENS oo, hypogynous, several-seriate at the base 

 of the torus ; filaments filiform, dilated above ; anthers introrse, connective prolonged 

 beyond the cells as a flat or clubbed appendage. OVARIES several, sunk separately in 

 the pits of a fleshy, obconic, flat-topped torus ; style short ; stigma terminal, sub- 

 dilated ; ovules 1-2 in each ovary, pendulous from a basilar funicle, which ascends 

 along its wall, and is free above ; raphe dorsal. NUCULES sub-globose, indehiscent. 

 SEEDS exalbuminous, testa thin, EMBRYO floury, plumule foliaceous. 



GENUS. 

 Nelumbium. 



NympJieeuiece approach the polypetalous hypognous apocarpous families, although the principal genera 

 are syncarpous, and the ovary is adherent to the torus. The sub-order of Nymphceacece is allied to 

 Papaveracece in the many-oyuled ovary with placentas on the septa, radiating stigmas, polyandry, and 

 truly milky juice; but is distinguished by its frequent perigynism or epigynism, aquatic habitat, and 

 especially the embryo with its enveloping sac being immersed in a superficial cavity of the amylaceous 

 albumen ; the latter is almost the only character which distinguishes Cabombece from Ranunculacece. 

 Nymphceacece have also a real affinity with Sarraceniacea (see that order). 



The species of Nymphcea are dispersed over nearly nil regions ; Nuphar is confined to the extra-tropical 

 northern hemisphere ; Barclaya and Euryale inhabit tropical Asia ; Victoria, equatorial America. The three 

 or four species of Caboinbece are American ; Brasenia is also found in India and Australia. {Nelumbium 

 inhabits the southern United States, tropical Asia, Africa, and Australia. ED.] 



Some species of this family were venerated by the ancients, not only for the magnificence of their 

 flowers and leaves, carpeting the surface of the tranquil waters, but also on account of their utility. Their 

 young rootstocks contain abundance of starchy, mucilaginous and sugary matters, which render them 



