ONAGRARIACEJE. 



485 



flower is inserted a stamen, 1 the erect and subulate filament of wliieh 

 supports a basifixed, bilocular, introrse aether dehiscing by two 

 longitudinal clefts. The ovary, lodged in the cavity of the receptacle, 

 is unilocular and surmounted by a slender, subulate style, charged 

 with stigmatic papillœ. On the posterior wall of the ovarian cell, a 

 little below the summit, is inserted a single descending anatropous 



Hippuris vulgaris. 



Fig. 477. Flower 



Fig. 481. Long, 

 sect, of flower. 



Fig. 476. Flower 

 with uxillate leaf. 



Fig. 430. Fruit. 



Fig. 479. Long, 

 sect, of flower. 



ovule, with micropyle interior and superior. 2 The fruit is a drupe 

 finally little fleshy, with crustaceous monospermous putamen. The 

 seed contains under its coats a cylindrical embryo, with superior 

 radicle, surrounded by a thin fleshy albumen. Of Hippuris, one or 

 two species 3 are known, evergreen herbs, with rhizomes creeping 

 in the mud. The aerial branches, simple, erect, are clothed with 

 numerous verticils of linear entire leaves, the number in each 

 verticil being variable. 4. The flowers are axillary, solitary and sessile. 

 This genus has been found in the fresh and brackish waters of Europe, 

 temperate and northern Asia, and northern and antarctic America. 



As here comprised, this family is one of those named by concate- 

 nation. Pretty well defined, in 1759, by B. de Jussietj, 5 under the 

 name of Onagrce, it was extended by Adanson, 6 who recognized most 



1 There are sometimes abnormal flowers which 

 are diandrous (fig. 478). 



2 On the characters of this ovule 

 andonembryogany, see TJxa.13ot.Zeit. 

 vii. 329.— Tul. Ann. Se. Nat. sér. 3, 

 xii. 67, t. 5. — Hopmeist. Ann. Sc. Nut. 

 sér. 4, xii. 65. 



3 C. Gay, Fl. Chil. ii. 355.— Torr. 



et Gn.Fl. N.-Amcr. i. (1840) 531.— Boiss. Fl. Or. 

 ii. 754. — Gr. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. i. 589. — Brew. 

 et Wats. Geol. Stirv. Calif. Bot. i. 215. — Boiss. 

 Fl. Or. ii. 754. — Walp. Sep, ii. 98; Ann. vii. 

 941. 



* From four to twelve. 



5 A.L. J. Gcn.lxx. 



c Fam. des PI. ii. 81 (1763). 



