Dec. 
Plate | 
-Vil. 
Fig, 2. 
OF GARDENING. 
2 SPIRAL VALLISNERIA. 
Here we propofe to the Attention of the Curi- 
ous indeed a Wonder ; a Plant worth all the Pains 
that can be taken to raife it in our Country; and 
of all that can employ the Mind upon the Miracles 
of Vegetable Nature, the firft, sreateft, and moft 
- worthy. 
We know that in the Serardlity of Plants, the 
Seeds are impregnated from Organs fituated in the 
fame Flower ; and that in fome thefe neceffary Parts 
dre plac’d on other Shoots of the fame Species. 
The common Spinage ripens no Seeds if 
the Male Plant be pull’d up; and the Female 
Palm pines in Barrennefs, till her Male Confort 
rifes above the furrounding Trees, and gives to 
the loofe Winds that Duft they waft to her. 
In all this, ftrange as it appears, the two 
Plants hold their Places, and each Kind of Flower 
remains on its own Stalk; but, in the prefent In- 
ftance, there is almoft the Animal Power of Loco- 
~ Motion. ' 
The Male and Female Plants grow feparate at 
the Bottom of the Waters; but ’tis not under 
them that the Impregnation can be made, 
The Female raifes her Flower upon a fpiral 
Stalk ; which, accommodating itfelf to the Depth 
of Water, and even to the Rife and Fall of Tides, ” 
keeps it always juft upon the Surface. 
The Male Flower mean Time opening far be- 
low, when it is ripe for its deftin’d Office, breaks 
from its Stalk entire, rifes to the Surface, and ) 
floats upon the Water, till the Current or the Mo- 
tion of the Air brings it to the Female, its deftin’d 
Spoufe. 
The earlier Writers were not acquainted with 
the Plant ; but fince Boccons and Micuexi all 
have nam’d it with due Admiration. 
The firft has join’d it with a very unlike Ge- 
nus, the Pond-weeds, and calls it Ponamegeon 
Alze folio Pifanum™. 
~ Micuexts nam’d it Vallifueria, after a very emi- 
nent Botanift, VALLISNIERI: a Cuftom well efta- 
blifh’d, but of late fo much abus’d by the Ufe 
of unworthy Names, that it is beft rejected. 
That Author calls it the female Plant Valh/ne- 
vid paluftris alge folio Italica foliis in fummitate den- 
 ticulatis fore purpurafcente +: and, not perceiving: 
- the Male Plant rofe from the fame Seeds, and only 
differ’d in Sex, he nam’d that diftin@ly Valifneri- 
cides, adding, paluftre alge folio Ttalicum foliis in 
fummitate nears ime denticulatis floribus albis vix 
confpicuis {. 
- LInnzvus, and the other late Enquirers, found 
the two Plants, differ’d in Sex, not Species; and 
as there has been no other difcover’d of the Kind, 
they retain || the Name Vah/neria without Addition. 
‘The Root cae? under the Surface of the ei 
+ ments: 
and is white, flender, 
bres. 
The Leaves are very long, narrow, wav’d at 
the Edges, obtufe at the End, and all alone the 
upper Part edg’d with the fineft Serrative that’can 
be conceiv’d. ) 
Thefe rife in a Clufter from the Root, and at 
their Bafe have a Tinge of Crimfon: the reft js 
of a very beautiful green; and there run a few 
Ribs lengthwife, which are reddith toward the 
Bottom of the Leaf, and upwards whitifh; with 
Fibres of a pale green between them. 
With Refpect to the Flowers and their Stalks, 
we are to confider the feveral Plants diftinétly, 
In fome, which are the Male Plants, there rifes 
among the Leaves a very fhort, flender, and 
and hung with many Fi- - 
plain Stalk, fupporting a Spike of little Flowers. 
Thefe are white: they are defended by a com- 
mon Scabbard, which fplits into two oblong nar- 
row Parts; and each of thefe is again divided at 
the End, and turn’d back. 
The Ear, which this defends in its In- 
fancy, is covered all over with thefe minute 
white Flowers. Each is form’d of a fingle 
Petal, divided to the Bottom into three Seg- 
and thefe are broadeft at the Extremity, 
obtufe, and turn’d back. | 
Thefe contain the Male Parts for Impregna- 
tion; and, as they ripen the {mall Buttons on 
their Filaments, they ftart from the common Ear, 
and rife to the Surface of the Water, where they 
float. in fuch Number, that in fome Places the 
Whole appears covered with them as a loofe, 
white Duft: then the Buttons, which had receiv’d 
Maturity under the Water, dry, and become fit 
for their Office. | 
This is the Male Plant call’d Valli/nerioides. 
The Female fends up among the Leaves many 
Stalks, which are flender, purple at the Bottom, and 
upwards of awhitifh green ; and, for two thirds of 
their Length, are twifted {pirally. Their Subftance 
is tender, with a confiderable Degree of Elafti- 
city; and may be drawn by pulling out to a 
oreater or leffer Length. 
The Purpofe of Nature is, that thefe female Flow- 
ers fhould float exaétly upon the Surface, that they 
may meet the loofe and fcattered Male ones: the 
Stalk therefore unwinds its Folds, fo far as to 
reach that Surface, and maintains the Place for 
the Flower, by lengthning or contratting the 
Spiral’ Part upon all Occafions. 
‘There are no Leaves on thefe Stalks: one 
Flower is fupported on the Summit, and this ig 
very fingular. The Scabbard, ferving it in the Of- 
fice of an outer Cup, is long, and of a cylindric 
Figure, but fplit into the End into two Parts, 
* Boccone Mufeum, 1. p. 29, 
4+ Micweri Genera Plantarum, 12, t. 10. f. 1. 
t MicHEL1 Gen. Pl. t. 10. 2 
| Pcrunii. LINNAUS; VAN Roren, 
é& 
