32 On the Management of Aquatic Plants. 



purple on the under surface, and the veins red on the upper, 

 both sides closely set with strong prickles, they float on the 

 water ; the flowers are small, petals a fine purple ; it requires 

 room, to grow it well ; from six to eight inches depth of water 

 appears to be sufficient, but from the nature of the plant, 

 deeper water would certainly be better ; flowers through the 

 summer. Introduced in 1809, and is figured in the Bota- 

 nical Magazine, Plate 1447 \ but the figure gives a very inade- 

 quate idea of the plant ; in Andrews's Repository, Plate 618, 

 it is also figured, and is there called Anneslea spinosa. 



This plant is tender, and needs the same degree of heat, 

 as the other tropical aquatics. 



The fifth genus has two species. 



1. Nelumbium speciosum : a native of the East Indies; 

 growing in slow-running streams and ponds : the flowers are 

 said to vary from red to white, are fragrant, and in form 

 something similar to a Nymphcea, but with a capsule of very 

 peculiar construction, it being flat on the upper surface, with 

 the seeds (which are large oval nuts) placed in separate 

 cells, nearly half their diameter above it ; the leaves are pel- 

 tate, proceeding immediately from the root, and sometimes 

 grow to the size of three feet ; according to the description 

 given in Exotic Botany , and the Botanical Magazine, they rise 

 three, or four feet above the water ; and, from those, which 

 have been grown in tubs, in our different stoves, this idea 

 appears confirmed ; but, in a descriptive catalogue of rare and 

 curious plants, grown in India, published in 1773, they are 

 mentioned as floating. I learn from Sir Joseph Banks, that 

 in Batavia, the leaves float upon the surface of the ditches, but 

 on the banks, into which the roots run, they are supported on 



