Order IV. 
POLYANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. 
477 
7877 Monogynous, Racemes very long. Caps, dry dehiscent. Leaves biternate with serrate or cut segments 
7878 Ovaries 4 subsessile very vill. Racemes panicled, Lvs. ternate or biternate, Segm. ovate-lanc. cut toothed 
7879 Ovaries 2-3 smooth sessile. Racemes panicled. Leaves biternate, Segments cordate at base 
7880 Ovaries 12-15 in a roundish head. Racemes dichotomous panicled. Leaves palmate 
7881 Spurs incurved. Caps. vill. Stem few or 1-fl. Lvs. covered with viscid down. Styles not longer than stamens 
7882 Spurs incurved. Caps, villous. Stem leafy many-fl. Leaves nearly smooth. Styles not longer than stamens 
7883 Spurs incurved twice as short as petals. Upper part of the plant and capsules covered with glandular hairs 
7884 Spurs straight longer than limb, Stam. as long as petals, Styles long. Petals oval obi. shorter than petals 
7885 Spurs straight longer than very blunt limb, Styles scarcely longer than stamens and petals. Sepals acute the 
length of petals 
7886 Spurs straight somewhat incurved at end twice as short as limb of petals, Stem 2-3-fl. leafy, Lvs. finely cut 
7887 Spurs straight. Styles and stamens exserted. Sepals acute a little longer than petals, Segm. of leaves 3-parted 
7888 Spurs straight as long as limb. Styles and stamens as long as sepals. Sepals the length of petals 
7889 Anthers blunt. Caps. 5 smooth 2-cell. united as far as end into an ovate globose one, Fls. in a leafy involucre 
7890 Anthers blunt. Flowers in an involucre. Sepals erect conniving 
7891 Anthers blunt, Caps, muricate. Stem erect hairy. Flowers naked 
7892 Anthers uointed. Styles 5-7 revolute. Capsules and stem smooth. Branches diverging 
7893 Anthers pointed. Styles 8-10 erect, Caps, smooth 1-nerved at back. Stem erect smooth. Branches erect 
789-1 Caps. 5-10 smooth erect, Styles straight 
7895 A low shrub, with narrow glaucous leaves 
7896 Leaves smooth 10-nerved 1-1^ foot long 6 inches broad 
7897 Lvs. oval-obl. blunt or nearly acute smooth roughish above somewhat toothed at end, Pedunc. panicled 
[Ipubescent 
POLYGYNIA. 
7898 Petals many. Anthers lengthened beyond the cells into a clavate appendage 
/3 Inner petals scarcely smaller than the outer, blunt 
7899 Petal-s many. Anthers lengthened beyond the cells into a linear appendage 
and Miscellaneous Particulars, 
Persia, and some parts of the Russian empire. Thunberg informs us, that it is considered as a sacred plant in 
Japan, and pleasing to their deities, and that the images of their idols were often drawn sitting on its large 
leaves. The long stalks are there eaten among other potherbs. Loureiro relates, that it abounds in muddy 
marshes in India and China, and is cultivated in large handsome pots in the gardens and houses of the 
mandarins ; that there is a variety with the flower of a pure white, and another with a very beautiful 
luxuriant flower, having about one hundred large petals, white or rose-colored. Both root and seeds are 
esculent, sapid and wholesome. In China it is called Lien-wha, and the seeds and slices of the hairy root, 
with the kernels of apricots and walnuts, and alternate layers of ice, were frequently presented to the British 
ambassador and his suite at breakfasts given by some of the principal mandarins. The Chinese have always 
held this plant in such high value, that at length they regarded it as sacred. That character^ however, has 
not limited it to merely ornamental purposes ; for the roots are not only served up in summer with ice, but 
they are also laid up in salt and vinegar for the winter. The seeds are somewhat of the size and form of an 
acorn, and of a taste more delicate than that of almonds. The ponds are generally covered with it, and 
exhibit a very beautiful appearance, when it is in flower ; and the flowers are no less fragrant than hand- 
some. 
Sir George Staunton remarks, that!; the leaf, besides its common uses, has, from its structure, growing 
entirely round the stalk, the advantage of defending the flower and fruit arising from its centre from 
contact with the water, which might injure them. He also remarks, that the stem never fails to ascend in the 
water from whatever depth, unless in case of a sudden inundation, until it attains the surface, when its leaf 
expands, rests, and swims upon it, and sometimes rises above it. This plant bears the rigorous cold of the 
Pekin winter, though it is reared with difficulty in European stoves. It often grows spontaneously in China, 
and is propagated in the open air with ease both by the seed and root. The Chinese distinguish many 
varieties of it. 
From the root of the Nelumbo, Sir George Staunton says, the Egyptians are supposed to have prepared 
their Colocasia, but the plant is now no longer found in that country ; from which circumstance some 
naturalists infer, that it never was indigenous there, but cultivated by the inhabitants with extreme care, 
The ancient Romans made repeated effbrts to raise it among them, from seeds brought out of Egypt ; and the 
