52S FLORA OF TEXAS. 



Var. ? FUSiFORMis. Stetn (6-12' long) almost capillary, 

 very leafy throughout ; leaves opposite, approximate, Bi)reud- 

 ing or recurved (2"— A" long); acheniiuti narrowly spindle- 

 shaped, finely reticulated, brownish. Brackish water along 

 the coast. July and August. 



ZOSTERA, L. Eel Grass. 



Floiuers monoecious, naked, the sterile and fertile ones 

 alternately arranged on the anterior edge of a flattened 

 membranaceous spadix, and inclosed in the sheath-like 

 base of the leaves ; anthers oblong, 1-celled, filled with fine 

 filaments instead of pollen-grains; ovary fixed near the 

 apex, containing a single pendulous orthotropous ovule, 

 and pointed with the subulate persistent style; stigmas 2, 

 capillary ; utricle bursting irregularly ; seeds striate ; coty- 

 ledons inflexed-curved, received in a longitudinal cleft of 

 the embryo. — Marine herbs, with creeping stems, and nar- 

 rowly linear obtuse and elongated sheathing leaves. 



Ti. MARINA, L. Stein slender, terete, jointed ; haves thin 

 and tender, faintly 3-5-nerved; flowers in two rows on the 

 linear spadix. Deep salt-water coves. August and Sep- 

 tember. 



ZANNICHELLIA, L. 



Flowers monoecious, axillary; sterile flower consisting 

 of a solitary naked filament bearing a 2-4-celled anther; 

 fertile flower from the same axil, composed of 2-6 sessile 

 1-celled ovaries, surrounded by a cup-shaped involucre, and 

 pointed with the slender style; stigma obliquely peltate; 

 ovule suspended, orthotropous ; acheninm oblong, stalked ; 

 embryo slender, coiled. — Submerged aquatic plants, with 

 filiform branching steins, and very narrow and entire alter- 

 nate leaves, with sheathing stipules. 



Z. PALUSTRis, L. Stems tufted, filiform, alternately 

 branched; leaves narrowly linear, entire, acute, 1-nerved; 



