F ROG-BIT. 
H YDROCHARIS Mo RSUS RAN^. 
tlYDROCHARIS Limai Gen. PL Dioecia EnneAndria. 
Masc. Spatha z phylla. CaL 3 fidus. Cor. 3 petabk Fi/am. 3 interiori 
ftylifera. Fa:m. Cal. 3 fidus. Cor. 3 petala. Styli 6. Caps. 6 iocularis» 
polyfperma infera. 
HYDROCHARIS. Linnai. Syjl. Vegetal, p. 746. Spec. PI. 1466. FI. Suecic. n. 914. 
HYDROCHARIS. Haller, hijl. 4. 1068^ 
NYMPHiEA alba minima. Bauh. p. 193* 
MORSUS RAN^ Parkinfon. 1252. 
MORSUS RANuSi Gerard, emac. 818. 
STRATIOTES folio afari, femine rotundo Rail. Syn. p. 290. The leafl white Water Lilly or Frog-bit. 
Hudfon. FI. Angl. ed 2. p. 436. 
Lightfoot. FI, Scot. p. 622. 
RADIX : Flagellis in longum extenfis facile rnultipli- | 
catur h»c planta, nutrimentum hauriens per ^ 
radiculas albas, fibrillofas, in limum profunde | 
defeendentes. ^ _ i’ 
FOLIA fex, five ofto, natantia, rotundato-reniforrnia, : 
carnofa, glabra, integerrima, fubpellucida, ; 
venis paucis circularibus, plurimis tranfverfis 
notata, fubtus rubella. • 
PETIOLI fpithamsei, craffi, pellucidi, lineis plurimis : 
decuffati. 
SPATHiE in utraque fexu plurimfe, radicales, ovata, , 
pellucid*, in mafculis etiam circa medium pe- ■ 
dunculi enafeuntur bin*, flofculos tenellos, ; 
inapertos quafi in vefica continentes. 
PEDUNCULI longitudine petiolorum, erefti; mafculi 
triflori aut quadriflori ; feminei uniflori, craf- 
fiores. 
Mas. r i* !• - 
C^LYX : Perianthium triphyllum, foliolis ova- 
tis, concavis, flavefcentibus, membranaceis, 
patentibus./^. I. 
COROLLA ; Petala tna, alba, plana, rugolula, te- 
nerrima, bafi flava. _ 
STAMINA : Filamenta novem, in tres ordines dil- 
pofita, quorum intermedius ordo fiipitern fu- 
bulatum e bafi fua interiore, ftyli ad inftar 
exferit, et in centro collocat. Duo reliqui or- 
dines bafi connedtuntur, ut Internum et ex- 
ternum cohaereat filamentum ; Anthera^ 
fublineares, biloculares, flavae. /g. 2.3.4.5. 6.7. 
PISTILLUM : Germinis rudimentum in centro. /.8. 
Femina. 
CALYX; Perianthium ut m mare, fuperum. 
COROLLA ut in mare. ^ 
PISTILLUM ; Germen fubovatum, inferum : styli 
fex, longitudine calycis, patentes, comprefli, 
bifido-canaliculati ; Stigmata bifida, acu- 
minata. j%-. 9. II* 
NECTARIUM : Glandula tres, flav*, germen coronant. 
PERICARDIUM ; Capsula coriacea, fubrotunda, 
fexlocularis. 
SEMINA numerofa, minima, fubrotunda. 
ROOT : this plant eafily multiplies itfelf by means of 
runners which (hoot out to a great length, 
and is fupported by long fibrous roots, which 
penetrate deep into the mud. 
LEAVES fix or eight, fwimming, of a roundifli kid- 
ney ftiape, flelhy, fmooth, perfeflly entircj 
fomewhat tranfparent, marked with a few 
circular but numerous tranfverfe lines, reddifii 
underneath. 
LEAF STALKS fix or feven inches long, thick, tranf- 
parent, having numerous crofs bars. 
SHEATHS in both fexes numerous, next the root, oval, 
and tranfparent, in the male plant alfo a pair 
grow out about the middle of the flower ftalk 
which contain the tender unopen’d blofibms 
as in a bladder. 
FLOWER-STALKS the length of the leaf ftalks, up- 
right; the male producing three or four flow- 
ers, the female one only, thicker in fize, 
Male. 
CALYX : a Perianthium of three leaves, which arc 
oval, concave, yellowilh, membranous and 
fpreading. i. 
COROLLA ; three, white, flat petals a little crumpled# 
very tender, and yellow at bottom, 
STAMINA : nine Filaments, difpofed in three rows, 
of which each in the middlemoft puts out 
from its bafe on the infide a ftyle like lubfiance 
which is placed in the center of the flower. 
The two other rows are connedted at bottom 
fo that the internal and external filament ad- 
here together ; Anther.® yellow, nearly IL- 
^ near, with two cavities. Jig. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 
I PISTILLUM ; the rudiment only of a Germen in the 
I center. Jig. 8. 
t Female. 
^ CALYX ; a Perianthium as in the male, placed above 
I the Germen. 
? COROLLA as in the male. 
I PISTILLUM ! Germen fomewhat oval, beneath the 
$ calyx; Styles fix, the length of tlie calyx, 
I fpreading, flat, forked and channel’d ; Stio- 
I MATA forked and pointed. 
I NECTARY : three yellow Glands crown the germen. 
I SEED-VESSEL : a roundifli, leathery Capfule, with 
i fix cavities. 
I SEEDS numerous# very minute, and roundifli. 
Most of the deep ditches with a muddy bottom, having a llow current of water, and which abound in the 
vlcinkrof the ThaLs have their furface cover’d with this plant m Autumn, at which period its blofloms 
whkh are uncommoniy delicate make their appearance. 
The leaves and indeed the whole ftrudure and oeconomy of the Frog-bit is exceedingly curious, and defer, 
viiig the minute attention of the inquifitivc Botanift. 
Its particular ufes we feem at prefent unacquainted with. 
Rav mentions a variety of it with fweet, double flowers, growing in a ditch at the fide of Miy Caujey 
near a wooden bridge in the Ifle of Ely. 
