pontederiace^, xyridace^, eriocaulonacb^. 247 



Order CVH. PONTEDERIA'CE^. (Pickerel-\™bd F.) 

 The most common representatives of this Order with us 

 are 



1. POSTTEDE'RIA, L. PiCKEEEL-WEED. 



P. eorda'ta, L. A stout plant growing in shallow water, 

 sending up a scape bearing a single large arrpw-heart-shaped 

 blunt leaf, and a spike of violet-blue flower s with a spathe-like 

 bract. Perianth 2-lipped, the 3 upper divisions united, the 3 

 lower spreading, the whole revolute-coiled after flowering, 

 the fleshy base enclosing the fruit. Stamens 6, 3 of them 

 exserted on long filaments, the rest short. 



Var. angllStifolia, Torr., has narrow scarcely cordate 



leaves. 



3. SCHOL'LEBA, Schreber. Waxes Stak-ghass. 



S. gramin'ea, Willd. {Heteranthera graminea, Vahl.,in 



Macoun's Catalogue.) A grass-like herb, wholly under 



water, only the small yellowish flowers reaching the surface, 



the latter single, from spathes. Perianth salver-shaped, 



regiilar. Stamens 8, anthers sagittate. 



Order CVIII. XYRIDA'CE^. (TEiiow-ETBD-GRASs F.) 

 Eush-like herbs, with equitant leaves sheathing the base 

 of a naked scape, terminated by a head of perfect 3-androus 

 flowers, with glumaceous calyx and coloured corolla. Cap- 

 sule 8-valved and 1-celled, containing several or many seeds. 

 XYRIS, Gronov. Tellow-eyed Geass. 

 X. flexuo'sa, Muhl., var. pusill'a, Gray. Scape small 

 and very slender, 2-9 inches high, not bulbous at the base. 

 Flowers in the axils of scale-like bracts densely imbricated 

 - in a head. Sepals 3. Petals 3. Fertile stamens 3, with 3 

 alternating sterile filaments bearded at the apex. — Peat bogs 

 and wet sandy shores, Atl. Prov. and northward. 



Order CIX. ERIOCAULONA'CRffi. (Tipewort F.) 

 Represented with us by the genus 



EBIOCAC'ION, L. PiPEWOET. 



E. septangula're. Withering. A slender plant with a 



