254 On Azolla and Salvinia. 



S. verticillata, foliis parallelogrammico-oblongis subpan- 

 duriformibus canaliculatis, pilis ternis vel quaternis papillas 

 (conicas) superficiei terminantibus. 



S. verticillata, Roxb. Crypt, PL Cal, Jour. Nat. Hist. IV. 

 p. 469. 



Hab. — Stagnant waters. Bengal. 



Descr. — Floating, sparingly branched. Stem, stalks and under- 

 surface of leaves thickly covered with stout subulate brown hairs, 

 the terminal cell of which is suddenly attenuated. Leaves paral- 

 lelogrammic- oblong, constricted about the centre so as to be sub- 

 panduriform, channelled down the middle. Hairs in threes or fours 

 arising from conical papillae of the surface : terminal cells brownish, 

 withered-looking. 



Roots terminating, short, descending stalks, generally about 12, 

 disposed in two series around the lower reproductive organ, which 

 occupies the centre. Mixed with the radicles, especially in the 

 young parts, are articulated colourless filaments, the component 

 parts of which contain unequal granules. 



Male organs ? articulated hairs on the stalks of the ovula ; each 

 joint containing a nucleus and a brownish fluid. 



Ovula nearly sessile concealed by the roots, and partly covered 

 with hairs. Tegument open at the top. 



Mature reproductive organs solitary, or in racemes of 3-5, about 

 the size of a pea, covered with brown rigid hairs. The upper ones 

 of each raceme, (or lowest as regards general situation,) contain 

 innumerable sphserical bodies, of a brownish colour, and reticulated 

 cellular surface, terminating capillary simple filaments. These 

 again contain a solid whitish opaque body. 



The other, which occupies the lowest part of the raceme, and which 

 is the first and often the only one developed, is more oblong, contain- 

 ing 6-18 larger, oblong-ovate bodies on short stout compound stalks : 

 colour brown, surface also reticulated. Each contains a large, emboss- 

 ed, opaque, ovate, free body, of a chalky aspect : it is three-lobed at 

 the apex, and contains below this a cavity lined by a yellowish 

 membrane, filled with granular and viscid matter and oily globules. 



