ElATITTACT!^. 131 



XII. THE ELATINE FAMILY. ELATINACE^. 



A very small family, confined in Europe to the single genus 

 Elatine, but comprising two or three others from hotter or 

 tropical climates. They only differ from the tribe Alsinecs, of 

 the Pink family, in their capitate stigmas, and their ovaries 

 and capsules completely divided into 3 or more cells. 



I. EIiATINE. ELATINE. 



Minute, glabrous, aquatic or marsh annuals, with opposite, entire leaves, 

 minute, almost microscopical stipules, and very small, axillary, solitary 

 flowers. Sepals 3 to 5, sometimes united at the base. Petals as many, hy- 

 pogynous, entire. Stamens as many, or twice as many. Styles 3 to 5, 

 with capitate stigmas. Ovary and capsule divided into as many cells as 

 styles, opening, when ripe, in as many valves, leaving the dissepiments ad- 

 hering to the axis. Seeds several. 



A small genus, spread over the northern hemisphere, in the new as well 

 as the old world. 



FloTvers stalked. Petals 3. Stamens 6. Styles 3 1. Six-stamened E. 



Flowers sessile. Petals 4. Stamens 8. Styles 4 2. Bight-stamened E. 



1. Six-stamened Elatine. Elatine hexandra, DC. 



{jE. JTydropiper, Eng. Bot. t. 955. Waterpepper.) 

 This little plant forms small, matted, creeping tufts, often under water ; 



the stems seldom above 2 inches long, and often not half an inch. Leaves 



small, obovate or oblong, tapering at the base. Pedicels 1 to 2 lines lono-. 



Flowers globular, with 3 rose-coloured petals scarcely longer than the calyx. 



Seeds numerous, beautifully ribbed and transversely striated under the 



microscope. 



Spread over a wide range, in Europe and Russian Asia, but its known 



stations always few and scattered. In Britain, recorded fi-om several parts 



of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and probably frequently overlooked from 



its minuteness. Fl. summer. 



2. Eig-ht-stamened Elatine. Elatine Hydropiper, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2670.) 

 Included by the older authors with the last, under the name of _£■. Hydro- 

 'piper, but dilFers in having sessile flowers, with 4 sepals, petals, and styles, 

 and 8 stamens, a more deeply divided calyx, and fewer and larger seeds. 



Scattered over the range of tlie six-stamened E., and sometimes mixed 

 with it, but more rare. In Britain it has only been observed near Famham 

 iu Surrey, and in Anglesea. Fl. svbnvmer. 



XIII. THE TAMAEISC FAMILY. TAMAEISCINE^. 



A very small European, North African, and central Asiatic 

 family, whose limits and affinities are far from being settled. 



