460 



ORDER CIXXVl. HYDROCHARIDACEiE. 



Flowers dioecious, occasionally hermaphrodite: enclosed in 

 a spathe before flowering, Male flowers pedicelled, perianth 

 6-leaved, outer three leaflets caJycine, inner ones petaloid, 

 smaller : stamens inserted at the bottom of the perianth, in 

 many rows : filaments free, sometimes 2-forked at the apex : 

 anthers introrse, 2-celled, ovate-globose or Hnear: cells de- 

 hiscing lengthways : rudimentary ovary occupying the centre 

 of the flower : female and hermaphrodite flowers solitary 

 withm a tubular, sometimes cleft spathe, sessile : tube of the 

 perianth connate with the ovary : stamens rarely fertile : 

 ovary inferior, 1 — 6-celled: ovxdes ascending: style very 

 short : stigmas 3 — 6, deeply 2-cleft : fruit dry, or succulent, 

 indehiscent, 1 — more celled: seeds without albumen, embryo 

 undivided. 



GENTTS I. HYDBILLA. 



Dioeoia Vriandria. Sexs Sj/st: 



(Jeit. Chae. Flowers dicEcious : Males. Spathe sessile, 1 -flowered: 

 flower pedicelled : perianth 6-parted, inner segments cuneate-oblong: 

 stamens 3, opposite the outer' segments of the perianth. Females. 

 Spathe tubular, throat ohHque, flower sessile : outer segments of 

 the calyx spathulate-oblong, inner petaloid, smaller : ovary 1 -celled : 

 ovules numerous : style hristle-shaped, elongated, connate with 

 the tube of the perianth : stigmas 3, linear-lanceolate, undivided : 

 berry somewhat 3-comered, l-celled : seeds few, cyhndiic. 



(I) H. vEETiciiiATA. (Rick.) 



Ident. L. C. Eich. Mem. d'Inst. II. p. 61, t. 2. 



Syn. Serpicula vertioiUata, Rosdb. fior. Ind. III. p. 578. — Val- 

 lisneria verticillata, do. — Ildora verticillata, Spreng. — Hottonia 

 serrata, Willd. 



Spec. Chae. Aquatic, with long slender stems: leaves -small, 

 verticiUed, sessile, oblong, serrulate : calyx muricated : flowers 

 small, whitish. 



Common in tanks throughout the country, flowering in the 



