XXIX. BLATINE^. 



265 



ElaHne Sydropiper. 

 Flower cut Tertically (mag.). 



Elaiine. 

 Ovule (mag.). 



Mei'imea. 

 Flowers, leaves, and stipules (mag.). 



Dwarf HERBS, or marsL. UNDEESHEUBS ; stems creeping or spreading. Leaves 

 opposite, rarely wliorled, sessile or sub-sessile, entire or toothed, stipulate. FLOfWEES 

 g , small, regular, axillary, solitary or cymose. Sepals 2-5, distinct, Eestivation 

 imbricate. PetAls 2-5, hypogynous, sestivation imbricate. Stamens equal or 

 double tbe number of tbe petals, hypogynous ; filaments filiform-subulate, free ; 

 anthers introrse, dorsifixed, versatile, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovaet free, cells as 

 many as sepals ; styles as many as cells, distinct ; stigmas capitate ; ovules oo, fixed to 

 the central angle of the cells, horizontal or sub-ascending, anatropous, raphe lateral 

 or superior. Capsule septicidal, valves flat or infleSed, leaving the placentiferous 

 central column free. Seeds numerous, cylindric, straight or curved, strongly striate 

 transversely, rarely smooth (Merimea), hilum basilar, exalbuminous. Embeto 

 straight or curved ; cotyledons short, obtuse ; radicle cylindric, long, near the 

 hilum. 



Matine. 



GENERA. 

 Bergia. 



Merimea, 



ElaUnea, formerly placed in Caryophylleai, tribe Alsined, are distinguished by the capitate stigmas, 

 dehiscent capsule, exalbuminous seed, and straighter embryo. They approach Hyperwine<s in hypopetal- 

 ism, the 3^6-celled ovary with- many OTules in each cell, the free styles, terminal stigmas, capsular fruit, 

 straight or curved exalbuminous seeds, and opposite or whorled leaves ; but in HyperieinecB the petals are 

 twisted, the stamens usually numerous and polyadelphous, and the leaves exstipulate. Elatinece approach 

 some Lythrariem, -which have also isostemonous or diplostemonous flowers, an ovary with two or several 

 many-ovuled cells, anatropous ovules, a septicidal capsule, exalbuminous seeds, and opposite leaves ; but 

 they differ in the tubular calyx, perigynism, simple style and exstipulate leaves. 



The genus Tetradiclis (or Anatropa) appears much nearer ElatinecB than Zygophylhce, in which 

 Bentham and Hooker fil.^ place it; it differs from Zygophyllecu in the number of the parts of the 

 flower, the dehiscence of the capsule, the nature of the seeds, &c., and is only separated from Elatitwfs by 

 its exstipulate and laciniate leaves. 



Elatinem are widely dispersed, especially in the Old World, inhabiting ditches and the submerged 

 shores of ponds and rivers. They are of no use to man. 



Bentham and Hooker place it in Eutacecs, tribe JRutecs, and not in ZygopkyllecB.—'SD. 



