ORDER VIII. N EL u:\rBiACEj:. 217 



growing in the water, with floating, peltate leaves, the sub- 

 mersed leaves with filiform lobes. 



Gents I.— CABOM'BA. Aub. 6—2. (Xectris, Pursh.) 



Sepals 3, petaloid. Petals 3. Stamens 6, as long as the 

 calyx. Carpels numerous, 1 — 3-seeded, somewhat fleshy. 

 Leaves opposite. 



1. C. Carolinia'na, (Gray.) Stem brandling. Leaves floating and 

 submersed, the floating ones elliptical or oblong, about an inch long, 

 submersed ones filiformly dissected. Petals oval, obtuse, with two yel- 

 low spots at the base. Sometimes only two sepals and 2 petals. — 

 White. If. May. From X. Car. to Lou. 



Genus IL— BRASE'XIA. Schr. 12—12. (Hydropeltis, Mich.) 



Sepals 3 — 4, persistent, petaloid. Petals 3 — 4, longer than 

 the sepals. Stamens numerous. Carpels numerous, somewhat 

 oblong, 1 — 2-seeded. All the submersed parts of the plant cov- 

 ered with a transparent, gelatinous substance. 



1. B. pelta'ta. (Pursh.) Stem long, slender, of a purplish color, no 

 part of the plant being green but the upper surface of the leaves. 

 Leaves alternate, the floating ones peltate, entire, elliptical. Peduncles 

 1-flowered, solitary. Grows in still water. — Brownish purple. If. 

 July. Canada to Geo. 1 — 10 feet. Water-shield. 



Order YIIL— NELUMBIA'CEJS. L. 12—12. 



Sepals 4 — 6, petaloid. Petals numerous from the outside of 

 the disk. Stamens numerous, in several rows ; filaments peta- 

 loid ; anthers introrse. Disk remarkably developed, with the 

 ovaries lodged in separate cavities in its substance. Fruit a 

 nut, crowned with the persistent style. Seed orthotropous, 

 without albumen. Embryo very large, with two fleshy cotyle- 

 dons. Herbaceous plants growing in deep water. 



Genus I.—XELUM'BIUM Juss. 12— 12. {Sacred Bean.) 

 (The name of an East Indian species.) 



1. N. lu'teum, (Wild.) Peduncles arising from a rhizoma. Leaves 

 large, 1 — 2 feet in diameter, peltate, orbicular. Flowers large. — Pale 

 yellow. If. N. Y. to Lou. June. Water chinquapin. 



This is one of the most splendid aquatic plants of North America. It yields a milky 

 juice when wounded. The root bears tubers, which are very farinaceous, and arc used 

 as food by the Indians. The flowers are the largest of any North American plant ex- 

 cept the Magnolia macrophyLla. (Nuttall.) 



Order IX.— XYMPILEA'CEyE. Sal. (Water-lily Family.) 



Sepah persistent, 4 — 5 — G. Petals numerous, imbricate. 

 Stamens numerous in several rows, some of the filaments peta- 



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