263 
fig. 3 they are shown in position; in fig. 6, the spathe is split open 
on one side and one of the lobes laid open to show the ovary. The 
floral envelope consists of but one set Of leaves, three in number. 
They are oblong, about 1 cm. (% inch) long, truncate and often 
slightly toothed at the apex. In the staminate flowers, there are 
9 stamens but no trace of a pistil. There are practically no fila- 
ments, the linear anthers being sessile or nearly so, slightly shorter 
than the sepals. The anthers are 4-celled. In opening a bud 
under water, the writer happened to break an anther-cell, and 
the pollen floated out in a long the eee ane being 
held together in a glutinous matter. rhaps this is the actual 
way the pollen is dispersed in this species, the ae er always 
remaining submerged in the water. In the pistillate plant the 
place of the stamens is taken by 9-12 filiform stigmas. In the 
specimen figured, they were 12 in number. The ovary, as shown 
in fig. 6, is inferior, even in the young state covered with pro- 
tuberances, which in fruit become longer and finger-like. 
half-grown, 1.5 cm. long and 1 cm. thick (% XX % inch). The 
fruit is incompletely 9-12-celled, the partitions nearly but not 
quite meeting in the center. The seeds are numerous on parietal 
placentae. 
_ In the original description, Konig included in Thalassia, two 
other species, T. ciliata and T. ovata. These, however, have an 
altogether different fruit, and belong to a different genus, and, 
according to many botanists, to a different family. ey are 
now known as Halophila. This genus is represented by three 
species in the West Indies and southern Florida, viz., H. Bail- 
lonis, H. Aschersonti and H. Engelmanni. The last of these was 
described by Prof. Ascherson from sterile material without 
flowers or fruit, and it was only the general habit that aio 
the genus Halophila to him. Until recently the flowers of this 
species were unknown. The pistillate flowers aaa: ~ fruit 
were described for the first time in the North American Flora, 
vol. 17, p. 68, from material recently collected in the Bahamas 
by Dr. M. A. Howe. The staminate flowers of this species are 
still unknown as well as those of H. Aschersonii, Dr. Ho 
