152 THE FLORA OF SINGAPORE. 



MONOCOTYLEDONES. 



HYDROCHARIDEiE. 



Ibjdrilla verticil lata Casp. A common water weed in ditches 

 Tanglin, Chan Chu Kang. 



Bhjxa malaccensis Ridl. An aquatic with grassy leaves. Tang- 

 lin, Chan Chu Kang. 



EnhalusKoenigii Rich. "Setul." A marine plant with long 

 strap-like leaves. The male flowers are very small and 

 white, borne in a pair of large green boat-shaped bracts 

 on the end of a long stalk. When fully developed the 

 inflorescence rises to the surface, and the flowers break 

 off and float away till they come in contact with a female 

 flower which they fertilise. The sea is sometimes sprin- 

 kled all over with them. The female flowers are solitary 

 in the bracts. After fertilization the stalk contracts into a 

 spiral and the fruit is drawn down to the bottom of the 

 sea to ripen. It is ovoid, green and hairy, about 1^ inch 

 long. Malay children eat it. The Dugong ( Halicore ) 

 lives mostly on the leaves of this plant. It is very abun- 

 dant in shallow bays in the Johore Strait, round Blakang 

 Mati and wherever the sea is shallow enough for it. 



Haiophila ovata Gaud. A small creeping marine plant with 

 obovate leaves. Abundant in shallow bays in mud. 

 Changi, Blakang Mati. 



BURMANNIACEiE. 



Burmannia coelestis Don. " Sisik Naga." A slender little plant 

 with blue urn-shaped flowers, in grassy spots, common. 

 Tanglin, Pasir Panjang, Mt. Faber. 



B tuberosa Becc. A small white saprophyte, usually almost 

 completely buried in the ground. Flowers white 

 with yellow corolla lobes, scented of cowslips. Damp 



