POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. 
67 
Root perennial. Stem 1 — 10 feet long. Leaves alternate, somewhat 
crowded near the summit of the stem, elliptic, peltate, entire, floating on 
the surface of the water, glabrous and shining on the upper surface, the 
under surface purple, and together with the petioles stem and peduncle 
completely enveloped in a tenacious gelatinous fluid. Petioles 3 — 6 
inches long. Flowers solitary, axillary. Peduncles 3 — 6 inches, and 
with the whole plant except the upper surface of the leaves, purple. 
Leaves of the calyx oval, nearly equal, the three interior membranaceous. 
Stamens 20 — 30, a little shorter than the calyx. Germs 8 — 12, slightly 
compressed, pubescent. Styles oblique. Stigma decurrent. Capsules 
a little ventricose, acute at each end, pubescent, 1 “Celled. Seeds 1 — 2 in 
each capsule, attached by the point to the dorsal suture. 
For a very excellent description of the structure of the leaves of this 
plant, consult NutalPs Genera of North American Plants, a work abound- 
ing in acurate information respecting the plants of this country. 
Grows very common in stagnant water 
Flowers May — August. 
CYAMUS. 
Calyx 4 — 5 phyl- 
lus. Petala plurima. 
Fructus turbinatus, 
indisco truncato foveis 
plurimis monospermis 
excavatus. Nuces o- 
vatae, stylo persistente 
coronatae. 
i 
1. Luteus. 
C. foliis peltatis, or- 
bicularis, integerrimis; 
corolla polypetala; an- 
theris superne Iineari- 
bus. 
Salist. 
Calyx 4 — 5 leaved. 
Petals numerous. — 
Fruit turbinate, hol- 
lowed on its truncate 
disk into many one- 
seeded cells. Nut o- 
vate, crowned with the 
persistent style. 
Leaves peltate, or- 
bicular, entire ; corol- 
la many petalled ; an- 
ther linear near the 
summit. 
Cyamus flavicomus. Pursh 2. p. 398. 
Nymphea Nelumbo. Walt. p. 155. 
Nelumhium Luteum Sp. pi. 2. p. 1259- Mich. 1. p. 317« 
Root perennial. Leaves larger than those of any other species of our 
aquatic plants, peltate, orbicular, entire, generally floating, but sometimes 
rising above the surface of the water. Petioles and Peduncles slightly 
