570 MONOECIA TETRANDkIA, 



It grows under the water at the bottom of the lake, 

 but when in flower the top of the ftalk is raifed 

 above the water, at which time it meafures from 

 a foot to 1 8 inches high. 

 The root is fibrous : the fibres white, cylindrica}, 

 diaphanous, and curioufly jointed with nume- 

 rous tranverfe diaphragms : the leaves are fword- 

 fliap'd, about two inches long, and furround 

 the bafe of the ftalk to the number of a dozen 

 or more : the lialk is fneath'd at the bafe, but 

 naked upwards, a little twifted in its growth, 

 obtulcly angular, the number of angles varia- 

 ble, but frequently ten : both leaves and ftalk 

 are tranfparent, and when held up between the 

 eye and the light appear to be regularly and 

 beautifully reticulated, with numerous fine rec- 

 tangular mclhes : the head of compound flow- 

 ers, which, terminates the ftalk, is about the fizc 

 of a large garden peafe, and appears to be of a 

 dark grey colour. Upon diflfcdion the leaves 

 ^ ., '- of the common Calyx are found to be moufe-co- 

 loured, of each peculiar Calyx, the fame colour, 

 but thcfe laft fringed on the edges with ftiort 

 wh,ite capillary papilU. The petals are white, 

 . with a dark fpot near their fummit, and edged 



v.'ith the fame elegant fringe. The Anthera are 

 black. l"he generic charaders v/ill fupply the 

 remainder of the defcription. 



IJTTORELLA, 



