Heteranthera. 



PONTEDERlACEiE. 



313 



2. HETERANTHERA. Ruiz $ Pav. fl. Peruv. 1. p. 43. HETERANTHERA. 



[ From the Greek, heteros, different, and ancr, anther.] 



Perianth salver-form ; the segments nearly equal, spreading. Stamens 3, equal or unequal. 

 Ovary cylindrical-fusiform, 3-celled, but the dissepiments scarcely cohering in the axis : 

 stigma capitate, 3-lobed. Ovules very numerous, in a double series in each cell, ascending. 

 Capsule surrounded by the withered perianth-tube, incompletely 3-celled, loculicidal. 

 Seeds ovoid. — Herbs, growing in miry places, or floating, with creeping stems, and reniform- 

 ovate or -cordate leaves on long petioles, sometimes linear. Spathe 1 - 15-flowered ; the 

 flowers small, white, blue or yellow. 



* Hkterandra, Beauv. Stamens unequal : two of them wi'h somewhat thickened filaments and small ovate anthers ; the 

 other with a dilated filament and large sagittate anther. Stigma capitate, obscurely 3-lobed. Spathe 2 - lb-flowered ; 

 the flowers white or blue. Leaves ovale or cordate. 



1. Heteranthera reniformis, Ruiz Pav. (PI. CXXXII.) Mud Plantain. 



Leaves cordate-reniform ; spikes 3 - 5-flowered. — Ruiz Pav. I. c. t. 71 ; Torr. fl. 1. 

 p. 41 ; Beck, hot. p. 369 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest p. 14 ; Kunth, enum. 4. p. 123. H. acuta, 

 Willd. in nov. act. soc. amic. hist. nat. 3. p. 438 ; Pursh, fl. I. p. 32. Heterandra reni- 

 formis, P. de Beauv. in Am. phil. trans. 4. p. 173. Leptanthus reniformis, Michx. fl. 1. 

 p. 24. L. Peruviana & Virginica, Pers. syn. 1. p. 56. 



Stem creeping and rooting in the mud or partly floating, branching, 6-12 inches long. 

 Leaves about f lbs of an inch wide ; the petioles 2 — 3 inches long. Spathe oblong, acuminate 

 and cuspidate, enclosing a spike of from 3 to 5 flowers, which unfold and protrude successive- 

 ly, and are very fugacious. Perianth white, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter when 

 expanded ; the segments oblong, acute : tube nearly twice the length of the segments. 

 Stamens much shorter than the perianth : two of them with small ovate anthers ; the other 

 taller, with a large anther which usually embraces the style. Style longer than the stamens ; 

 the stigma capitate and slightly 3-lobed. Ovary acuminate, surrounded by the tube of the 

 perianth, but not adhering to it : ovules very numerous. Capsule oblong, membranaceous. 

 Seeds oblong. 



Muddy banks of rivers : rare on the Hudson, above Fishkill Landing. Fl. July - Sep- 

 tember. Fr. September - October. 



** Schoi.lera, Willd. Stamens nearly equal : filaments lanceolate-subulate : anthers similar, oblong-sagittate. Stigma 

 3-lobed : style clavate above. — Herb submerged. Leaves sessile, linear. Flowers axillary, solitary, yellow. 



2. Heteranthera graminea, Vahl. (PI. CXXXIII.) Water Star-grass. 



Stem submerged ; leaves linear, flat, sessile, rather acute ; spathe axillary, sessile, one- 

 flowered. — Vahl, enum. 2. p. 45 ; Pursh. fl. 1. p. 32 ; Kunth, enum. 4. p. 122. Leptanthus 

 gramineus, Michx. fl. 1 . p. 25. t. 5.f. 2 ; Nutt. gen. I. p. 29 ; Hook. exot. fl. t. 94. Schol- 

 lera graminifolia, Willd. I. c. ; Muhl. cat. p. 5; Torr. fl. I. p. 41. S. graminea, Bart. fl. 

 N. Am. 2. t. 54 ; Beck, hot. p. 369 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 14. 

 [Flora — Vol. 2.] 40 



