The Madagascar Lace Plant 



J. LAMBERT, University of Pennsylvania Botanical Garden 



Tke Lace Plant 



The L,ace-leaf Plant, Ouvirandra fen- 

 estrates, was introduced into cultivation 

 from Madagascar, in 1855. and belongs 

 to the NaiadacivAE, or pondweed family. 

 It is closely related to Aponogeton, but 

 differs in having skeletonized leaves. It 

 has been noted that the spaces between 

 the veins sometimes become filled with 

 tissue, causing a partially solid leaf. This 

 feature induced some authors to place it 

 in the genus Aponogeton. Such a growth 

 very rarely occurs, and so may be termed 

 a "sport." The plant is a perennial im- 

 mersed aquatic. The foliage is produced 

 immediately from the crown and forms 

 a rosette of broad, oblong, rich green 

 leaves, which are composed of nerves 

 and cross veins that give it the delicate 



Ouvirandra fenestralis 



lace-like appearance from which the 

 plant obtains its common name. These 

 veins consist chiefly of air-cells that give 

 the leaf its buoyancy; similar in charac- 

 ter to the inflated petiole of Bichhornia, 

 and the air-pads found on the under sur- 

 face of the leaves of Trianea, Lhnnathe- 

 uium, etc. 



In well-grown specimens the leaves 

 attain a length of eighteen inches, and 

 from two to three inches broad. The 

 numerous small white flowers are borne 

 on two spikes, each about two inches 

 long, united at the base and supported by 

 a stem about twelve inches long, and pro- 

 jected about six inches above the surface 

 of the water. Strong, healthy plants will 

 flower continually throughout the sum- 



