Perennial. — Flowers in July. 
Root of many long:, perpendicular, thread-shaped fibres, furnished 
towards the end with numerous radicles. Leaves mostly floating, 
roundish kidney-shaped, about an inch and a half broad, fleshy, 
smooth, very entire, somewhat transparent, with a few circular, and 
many transverse veins ; purplish underneath. Petioles ( leaf -stalks J 
from 3 to 6 inches long, cylindrical, smooth, thick, transparent, 
marked with transverse reticulations. Sterile Flowers (fig. 1.) 3, 
on long peduncles arising from a 2-leaved, transparent, membranous 
spatha. Fertile Flowers (fig. 2.) on a solitary peduncle, arising 
from a single spatha. Segments of the Calyx equal, between egg- 
shaped and oblong. Petals much larger, roundish, undulate, very 
delicate, white, with a yellow stain at the base of each. Stamens 
sometimes more than 9, as many as 12. Seeds small, egg-shaped, 
attenuated at the base, with a lax somewhat fleshy covering, formed 
of warts consisting of spiral cellules. 
This is a highly ornamental water plant, which will grow freely 
in ponds and ditches, and is deserving of more frequent introduc- 
tion into aquaria. It is a native of many parts of Europe in deep 
ditches, and slow streams, with a muddy bottom, multiplying itself 
greatly by runners which shoot out to a great length, and put out 
at the joints long roots which penetrate deep into the mud. 
Mr. Curtis observes, that the whole structure and economy of 
the Frog-bit is exceedingly curious, deserving the minute attention 
of the inquisitive Botanist. 
Ray mentions a double-flowered, very sweet-scented, variety, as 
growing in his time plentifully in a ditch by the side of Audrey 
Causeway, in the Isle of Ely, near the great wooden bridge ; but 
Mr. Relhan sought it there in vain. 
The Natural Order Hydrocharideaj, to which the present 
plant belongs, is composed of monocotyledonous herbaceous float- 
ing plants, whose leaves are mostly radical, with parallel veins, 
sometimes spiny. Their flowers are spathaceous, and either per- 
fect, or separated, with a 3-parted, herbaceous calyx, and a corolla 
of 3 petaloid petals. The stamens are either definite or indefinite. 
The ovary is single and inferior ; with from 3 to 6 stigmas. The 
fruit is either dry or succulent, indehiscent, with one or more cells. 
The seeds are destitute of albumen ; and have a straight, undivided 
embryo. 
The only British genera in this order, are Slratiotcs, t. 413; and 
Hydrocharis, t. 441. 
