210 X. NYMPH^IlSrEiB. 



depressed in the middle, with sometimes a central umbilicate gland {NymphcBo) ; ovules 

 usually numerous, inserted on the walls of the septa. Teuit a several-celled berry, 

 bursting irregularly when ripe, rarely separating into distinct carpels. Seeds often 

 furnished with a saccate pulpy aril {Nymphoea, Euryah) ; albumen farinaceous. 



GENEEA. 

 Nuphar. *Nympliiea. Bnrolaya. *Euryale. 'Victoria. 



SUB-OEDEE II. CABOMBEM. 



(Cabombe^, McAarc^.— HTDEOPELTiDBiE, D.O.— Cabombace^, Asa Gray.) 



Sepals 3-4. Petals 3-4, hypogynous, persistent. Stamens 6, 12, or 18 ; 

 filaments subulate ; anthers extrorse or lateral. Ovaeies 3-2-4, or 6-18, free, 

 whorled, inserted on a narrow torus, narrowed into styles, stigmatiferous at the top 

 {Gahomha), or throughout their length {Brasenia) ; ovules 2-3, pendulous. Eipe 

 oabpels enclosed in the persistent calyx and corolla, often solitary by arrest, 

 follicular, indehiscent. Seeds with a fleshy copious albumen. 



GENEEA. 

 Catomba. Brasenia* 



S ue-oedee III. HEL UMBONE^. 

 (Nelumbonb^, Bartling. — Nelumbiace^, Lindl.) 



Sepals 4-5. - Petals and stamens oo, hypogynous, seyeral-seriate at the base 

 of the torus ; filaments filiform, dUated above ; anthers introrse, connective prolonged 

 beyond the cells as a flat or clubbed appendage. Ovaeies several, sunk separately in 

 the pits of a fleshy, obconic, flat-topped torus ; style short ; stigma terminal, sub- 

 dilated ; ovules 1-2 in each ovary, pendulous from a basilar funicle, which ascends 

 along its wall, and is free above ; raphe dorsal. Nucules sub-globose, indehiscent. 

 Seeds exalbuminous, testa thin, Embeto floury, plumule foliaceous. 



GENUS. 

 Nelumbium, 



NympkceinecB approaoli the polypetalous hypognoiia apocarpous families, although the principal genera 

 are syncarpous, and the ovary is adherent to the torus. The sub-order of JVymphceacecs is allied to 

 Papaverncees in the many-ovuled ovary with placentas on the septa, radiatingatigmas, polyandry, and 

 truly milky juice ; but is distinguished by its frequent perigynisra or ejngynism, aquatic habitat, and 

 especially the embryo with its enveloping sac being immersed in a superficial caTity of the amylaceous 

 albumen ; the latter ia almost the only character which distinguishes Cahomhea from Sanunculacecs. 

 Nymphceacea have also a real affinity with Sarfacetiiacece (see that order). 



The species of Nymplusa are dispersed over nearly all regions ; Nvphar is confined to the extra-tropical 

 northern hemisphere ; Barclaya and Euryah inhabit tropical Asia j Victoria, equatorial America. The three 

 or four species of Ca6oJ«ie(Ss are American ; J?/-ase»iifl is also found in India and Australia. \_Neluinbium 

 inhabits the southern United States, tropical Asia, Africa, and Australia, — Ed.] 



Some species of this family were venei'ated by the ancients, not only for the magnificence of their 

 flowers and leaves, carpeting the surface of the tranquil waters, but also on account of their utility. Their 

 young rootstooks contain abundance of starchy, mucilaginous and sugary matters, which render them 



