7 



f 



by D'Orbigny. Seeing, indeed, that V. regia has been detected in Boli^da (Rio Mamore'), in the Amazons ; in 

 . Berbice and in Corrientes (Parana) rivers ; the first and last being separated (at their embouchures) by thirt^'-five 

 degrees of longitude, we must conclude that this magnificent Water-Lily is, Hke the generality of AquatL, a 

 plant of wide distribution, and probably a not uncommon inhabitant of the still waters of all those great rivers 

 wJiich intersect the immense plains eastward of the Andes. 



I'he following are the recorded stations for V. regia : Bolivia, at Rio Mamore, upper tributary of the Amazons, 

 found there by Haenke, about 1801, and some time aftenvards seen by Bonplandi Tgaripe, a branch of the 

 Ajna/ons, Poeppig (1832) ; Parana and Riochuelo rivers, province of Corrientes, on the frontier of Paraguay. 

 D'Orbigny (1827); Rio Madeiras, near the sources of the Mamore, between the confluence of the rivers Aperi 

 and Tijamuche, province of Moxos, Bolivia, D'Orbigny (1832); Berbice river, British Guiana, Sir- R. Schomburgk 

 (1837): and also in the Rupuimni, a tributary of the Essequibo* (1842); Bolivia, Rio Yacuma, tributaiy of the 

 Rio Mamore, Bridges (1844). The Mamore is a tributary of the Amazons, as the Parana is of the Rio Plata, 

 and both consequently empty themselves into the Atlantic Ocean. It does not appear that the rictoria regia 

 has been found in any water flomng into the Pacific; probably because of the rapid movement of those streams. 

 Of tlie difference between the genera Euryale and Victoria our more perfect specimens enable us to add 

 some particulars beyond those already indicated by Dr. Lindlcy ; and the subjoined tabular view of their dis- 

 crepancies will put the matter in the clearest light. 



EURYALE. 



Sepals persistent. 



FetaU 20-30, apparently in 3^ series, smaller than the calyx, 

 diminished in size towards the interior, but all free, uniform in shape, 

 in no way changed in form or in texture. 



Stanieus numerous, uniform and all fertile and iree ; the inner ones 

 generally smaller. Filaments fihform, delicate, short. Jnthers termi- 

 nal, oval, obtuse, free, not apparently adnate with the likments. 

 (lioxd.fff.) 



^ Oca}-!/ oval, " 6-8-ceUed ? ceUs irregularly (?) placed and each con- 

 taining 6-10 seeds, attached to the partitions and to the exterior angles 

 of the cells," Roxh. ; concave at the top, the edge alone slightly and 

 very obscurely lobed, and this conca\'ity representing the stigma, desti- 

 tute of central projecting column. No style nor evident stigmas. 



Irult a nearly round berry, swelling out in various places, by the 

 growth of the seeds witliin, and crowned n-itli the connivent persistent 

 sepals. 



VICTORIA. 

 Sepals deciduous. 



Petals very numerous, in several series, longer than the calyx, the 

 inner gradually narrower, acuminated, and indurated, passing into the 

 stamens (as in Nymphcea) and united with them into an elevaiul 

 ring, forming a prolongation of the torus. 



Stamms united at the base in several series, the free portions subulate, 

 fleshy, firm, bearing the elongated anther-cells below the acuminated 

 point, and adnate mth the Jlamenis. Innermost stamens united into a 

 monadelphous body and sterile. 



Ovari/ turliiimtc, with a deep cavity at the top and a central projecting 

 column. Around the cavity, and placed u-ith great regularity, are from 

 27-30 cells, immersed in a pulpy substance and partly below the 

 hollow, the parietes of which have reticulated funiculi, bearing 10-12 

 o^oiles ;— upon the edge of this cavity, in a circle within the stamens, 

 are situated as many very large d'tymas. 



I'ruit a tm-binate truncated berry, with a deep hollow disc and per- 

 sistent central column even and regular on the outside. 



+ 



We do not attempt to contrast the structure of the seeds ; but the above distinctive characters are surely 

 abundantly sufficient to prove the correctness of Dr. Lindley's views, in estabHshing the genus rictoria. 



Desck. Aquatic? Root perennial? " large and tuberous, provided with numerous filiform, or cylindrical fibres, 

 which abound along their whole length with air-tubes. The tuber resembles the tHck rhizoma of some Mj^idiu7>l 

 and is of a brown colour externally, white within, but when cut through the internal substance soon changes to 

 purple," (Schomburgk in litt.). Stem none. Petioles long, terete, radical, clothed with copious prickles ; ° they 

 assume a diagonal direction when the water is low, and rise %vith the water so as to be perpendicular, and 

 dm-ing the floods, the leaf, as weU as the petiole, is entirely submerged. Leaves (usually) floating, of prodigious 

 size, four to six and a half feet in diameter (twelve to nineteen feet in circumference), at first oval with a^deep 

 narrow cleft or sinus at one end, in age almost exactly orbicular, peltate, plane but with a considerable depth of 

 margin, which is two to fom- or five inches broad, and turned up so as to form an elevated rim, like that of a tea- 

 tray ; the upper side of this vast leaf is a full green, marked with numerous reticulations which form somewhat 

 quadrangular areola); the underside deep purple, sometimes green, according to D'Orbigny, clothed with a short 

 spongy pubescence, furnished with copious very prominent fiat veins, radiating from the point of insertion of the 

 petiole and extending to, and through the raised margin, but there becoming less elevated, till they disappear at 

 the very edge; these are united by other deep flattened nerves, and they again by cross ones of less elevation, and 



w .*T ^l ^l^ '"""' ^"''' ^'' ^" ^- S'^^°"^^"'g'^ ^^'^ the gratification of showing this plant in its native waters to the officers of the Ist 

 W est India Kcgiment, when proceeding up that river to take military possession of Pirara, at which time it was in fuU flower. The Eev Thorn.- 

 loude, Sir Eobert mforms us, made several attempts to bring plants from the interior to the coast, but they never survived many weeks. ' 



C2 



