80 EN'GLTSn BOTANY. 



SPECIES I—STRATIOTES ALOIDES. Linn. 

 Plate MCCCCXLV. 

 Reich,. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Hclv. Vol. VII. Tab. LXI. Fig. 111. 



The only knoAvn species. 



In ditches and ponds. Rare and doubtfully native, except in the 

 east of England, from Suffolk to York. Perhaps indigenous also in 

 Lancashire and Cheshire. In Scotland it has long been naturalised in 

 Duddingston Loch and near Corstorphine, Edinburgh, and in the 

 Lochs of Cluny and Forfar. In Ireland it is very doubtfully indige- 

 nous, though naturalised in a good many places, and perhaps native in 

 the lakes and ditches of Cavan and Fermanagh. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland (?). Perennial. Late Summer. 



Root-fibres elongated. Rootstock stoloniferous, producing new 

 plants on runners in the same manner as Hydrocharis. Leaves nume- 

 rous in each tuft, sessile, 4 to 18 inches long, linear, tapering towards 

 the apex, keeled below, channeled above, half sheathing at the base, 

 acute, serrate, brittle, lurid-green or brownisli-maroon ; the outer ones 

 recurved ; the inner erect. Peduncles axillary, shorter than the 

 leaves. Spathe subhcrbaceous, 2-leaved, the leaves keeled on the 

 back. Male flowers (which I have not seen in British specimens) 1 to 

 3 from each spathe, pedicellate, li inch across, pure white : stamens 

 yellow. Female flowers in spathes similar to those of the male flowers, 

 but the flowers are sessile and solitary; tube about l-j- inch long, tlie 

 base adhering to the ovary, the upper part produced beyond it : 

 stamens numerous, some of them often fertile, so that the female plant 

 alone frequently fruits. Capsule bent at right angles to the peduncle, 

 subherbaceous, flask-shaped, 6-celled and 6-angled. Seeds numerous, 

 contained in membranous pulp. 



Water Soldier. 



French, Stratiote aloes. German, Aloelilaitrigc Krehsschecre. 



This plant is easily recognised by tlie similarity of its foliage to that of an aloe. In 

 the autumn the plants sink to the bottom of the water, and in the spring, from 

 amongst the leaves of the old plants, arise numerous thick suckers, each bearing a 

 young plant which floats on the surface, where it grows to maturity. It grows very 

 rapidly, and is a desirable plant to cultivate in ponds and still rivers. 



GENUS IIL—E L O D E A.* Pdch 



Flowers dioecious or polygamous. Male flowers solitary, sessile, 

 from a 2-lipped axillary sessile spathe ; perianth of 6 segments, the 



• This ought to be Helodea. I follow Mr. Bentham in placing this plant in this 

 genus ; though I believe Hydrilla to be the proper name ; there being no characters of 

 sufficient importance to separate the geuera " Hydiiila," " Elodea," and " Anacharis." 



