X. NYMPH^INE^. 207 



GENERA. 



Lardizabala. Boquila. Paivatia. Decaisnea. Stauntonia. 



Holboellia. Akebia. 



LardizabalecB approach Serberideee in their hypopetaliam, petaloid sepals and 2-seriate petals, isoste- 

 monism, extrorse anthers, berried fruit, albuminous seed, alternate componiid leaves, and racemed flowers ; 

 they differ in their diclinism, united filaments, anthers dehiscing longitudinally, and several carpels. 



For the affinity with Menispermece, see that order. Lardizahalets also approach Magnoliacece in their 

 ternary perianth, hypopetalism, extrorse anthers, free carpels, albuminous seeds, and basilar embryo ; but 

 in MagnoliacetB the stem is not twining, the leaves are always simple and stipulate, the flowers are usually 

 5 and polyandrous, the ovules are constantly attached to the ventral suture, and the ripe carpels are follicles 

 or samaras. The afiinity is more marked with Schizandreee, which are sarmentose shrubs with alternate 

 exstipulate leaves, diclinous flowers, ternary free bypogynous perianth-segments in 2-several series, 

 extrorse anthers, free berried carpels, seeds sunk in the pulp, copious albumen, and basilar embryo ; but 

 in Schixaitdreee the leaves are simple, often pellucidly dotted, the stamens are numerous, the carpels 2- 

 ovuled, and the ovules attached to the ventral suture. 



The majority of Lardkabalecs inhabit India, China, and Japan ; Lardkabala and Boquila are 

 Chilian. 



Lardixahalem contain neither a bitter nor an aromatic principle ; their hemes are mucilaginous and 

 eatable ; the flowers of many are scented. The Nepalese eat the fruits of HolbcsUia latifolia, and the 

 Chilians those of Lardimhala and Boquila ; [those of Decaisnea are sweet and fleshy, and very 

 grateful. — Ed.]. The shoots of Lnrdimbala, passed through fire and macerated in water, form cords of 

 great strength, 



X. NYMPHJElNEJi, Brongniart. 



Sepals 3-^5. Petals 3- oo, hypogynous or perigynous, i.e. inserted at different 

 heights on a torus enveloping the ovaries and more or less united with them. Stamens 

 usually numerous, inserted with the petals. Ovaeies several, free or coherent. Fetjit 

 a berry bursting irregularly, or an indehiscent nut. Seeds furnished with a double 

 albwmen, or ra/rely exalbuminous. Aquatic hbebs. 



Aquatic heebs ; rootstoch perennial, submerged, tuberous, creeping, with some- 

 times milky juice, emitting leaves and 1 -flowered scapes, rarely floating branches 

 {Brasenia). Leaves alternate or opposite, long-petioled, blade floating, rarely 

 emerged {NehbmUum), usually cordate-peltate, sometimes oblong or linear [Barclay a), 

 often dissected and capillary in the submerged leaves [Cabomba). Flq-webs large § , 

 regular, usually floating, rarely emerged [Nelumbium] ; peduncles axillary, 1 -flowered. 

 Sepals usually 4-5-6, rarely 3 [Cabomba, Brasenia). Petals imbricate in aestivation, 

 usually numerous, rarely 3 [Cabomba) ; sometimes all free and hypogynous [Nwphar) ; 

 sometimes all, or the inner only, inserted at different heights, on a torus enclosing 

 the carpels. Stamens oo, or rarely. 6 [Cabomba), inserted as the petals ; anthers 

 erect, connective continuous with the filament, cells adnate, Qpening by a longitudinal 

 slit, introrse, or rarely extrorse [Cabomba). Oaepels co, or 8-10, rarely 3-4 [Ca- 

 bomba), sometimes distinct [Cabomba, Brasenia), sometimes cohering in a whorl, and 

 forming a several-celled ovary, either free and superior [Nuphar), or adherent to the 

 torus, and then inferior or half-inferior [Nymphcea, Victoria, Euryale, &c.), sometimes 

 sunk without order in the alveolse of an obconic torus [Nelumbium) ; stigmas either 



