MOKOCOTYLEDONOUS OR EKDOGEKOUS PLANTS. 535 



2-lobed; seeds numerous, fixed to three parietal placentae. 

 — Aquatic herbs, with creeping stems, and elongated strap- 

 shajyed leaves. Fertilization effected mostly as in Ana- 

 charis. 



V. SPIRALIS, L. Slow-flowing streams and ponds. 

 July-September. Plant creeping, proliferous; leaves 

 strap-shaped, obtuse, 5-9-nerved, sharply serrulate, l°-3° 

 long, 6"-12" wide; scai^e of the sterile flowers l'-4' long, 

 of the fertile ones 2°-5° long; fruit 1-3' long, often curved. 

 Perennial. 



133. BUKMANNIA FAMILY. Order, Burmanki- 



ACEJE. 



Small herbs, with filiform stems, scale-like leaves, and 

 regular perfect^o?(;er5; sepals and petals united to form a 

 tubular unequally 6-cleft corolla-like perianth, with the 

 tube coherent with the 1 or 3-celled many-ovuled ovary ; 

 stamens 3 or 6, inserted on the tube of the perianth ; an- 

 ^7ie7*-cells separate, 2-lobed, opening crosswise; st?/le slen- 

 der ; stigmas 3, dilated ; placentce 3, central or parietal ; 

 capsule many-seeded; seeds minute, with a loose or reticu- 

 lated testa. 



BUEMANNIA, L. 



Tube of the perianth mostly 3-angled or 3-winged, 6-cleft, 

 withering-persistent, the three interior lobes smaller ; sta- 

 mens 3, very short, inserted opposite the interior lobes of 

 the perianth ; ovary 3-celled, with three thick 2-lobed cen- 

 tral placentae; stigmas globose, dilated or 2-lobed; capsule 

 splitting at the apex into 3 valves ; radical leaves crowded 

 and grass-like, or none ; those of the stem minute, scale- 

 like ; flowers racemose or clustered. 



APTERIA, Nutt. 

 Perianth terete, tubular-bell-shaped, 6-cleft, with the 3 



