ALISMA RAM UNCULOIDES. LESSER WATER-
PLANTAIN.
ALTSMA ranunculoidcs, foliis lineari-lanceolatis ; fructibus aggregatis, globoso-squarrosis.
ALISMA ranunculoides, foliis lineari-lanceolatis, capsulis pentagonis incurvis globoso-aggregatis, Smith
FI. Brit. ml. 1. p. 402.
ALISMA ranunculoides. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 487. Huds. Angl. p . 158. With. Bot. Arr. ed. 4. ml. 2.
». 355. Hull Br. FI. ed. 2. p . 105. Rclh. Cant. p. 150. Sikh. Ox. p. 120. Alton
Hort. Kew. ed. 1 . ml. 1 . p. 492. ed. 2 . ml. 2. p. 332. Engl. Bot. t. 386. Oed. FI. Dan.
1 .122. Hoffm. Germ. p. 131. Roth Germ. ml. 1. p. 163. ml. 2. p. 430. Lamarck Diet,
ml. 2. ». 514. Lam. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 3. p . 189. Pers: Syn. PI. ml. 1 . p. 400. Des-
longch. FI. Gall. p. 218. Redouté Liliac. 268. Gouan FI. Monsp. p. 137. Wade Cat.
PI. Dubl. p. 105. Davis Welch Botan. p . 36. Martyn Mill. Diet.
PLANTAGO aquatica minor. Rail Syn. p. 957.
PLANTAGO aquatica humilis. . Get'. Em. p. 417.
Dut. Ranonkelagtige Watcr-Wecgbree. Kleine Water-Wecgbree. Fr. Le Fluteau Ranunculdide.
Germ. Der Spitzige. Kleine Wasserwegrich. Der Ranunkelartige Froschöloffel. Welsh. D y fr
Lyriad legchan.
Class an d Order. HEXANDRIA POLYGYNIA-
[N a t u r a l Order. ALISMACEÆ. Decand. Br. Richard. ALISMOIDEÆ, Vent. JUNCI, Juss.
TRIPETALOIDEÆ, Linn.]
Gen . Char. Cal. triphyllus. Petala tria. Caps, plures, monospermæ, Pers. (distincte, non déhiscentes, Br.)
Ra dix perennis, fibrosa, fibris numerosis, longis, flexuo- :
sis,; fuscis.
Folia omnino radicalia, erecta vel patentia, longitudine
mire variant, nunc tri- vel quadri-uncialia, nunc
pedalia et ultra, lineari-lanceolata, acuta, glabra,
viridia, subtrinervia, nervis reticulatim connexis ;
basi longe attenuata, petiolata, parum vaginan-
tia ; petiôlis semiteretibus, succosis, isthmis in-
terceptis, siccitate quasi articulatis.
Scapi duo vel très, rarius plures, foliis plerumque lon-
giores, erecti vel decumbentes, teretes, virides
, purpureo mixti.
F lores terminales in umbellam soepe proliferam dis-
positi.
PEDUNCULI quinque ad duodecim, longitudine æquales,
simplices, teretes, bracteis tribus vel quatuor,
ovatis, acuminatis, membranaceis, fuscis suffulti.
Calyx triphyllus, parvus, viridis, laciniis rotundatis,
persistentibus.
• Corolla: Petala tria, patentia, calyce plusquam duplo
longior; unguis parvus; limbus carneus, rotun-
dates, undulates, marine crenatus.
Stamina sex, petalis multo breviora ; Filamenta alba ;
Antheræ flavæ.
Ovaria (Jig. 3) circiter viginti, ovato-acuminata, im-
bricata, in globum compacta. Stylus brevis, simplex.
Stigma minutum, capitatum, fuscum.
P ericarpium superum : Capsulas tot quot ovaria, in
globum echinatum vel squarrosum congeste, sed
distincte, basi solummodo receptaculo infixæ,
ovato-deltoideae, triangulari-appressee ; dorso la-
teribus sulcate, uniloculares, monospermæ, non
déhiscentes (Jig. 5).
Semen unicum capsulæ basi affixum, ascendens (Jig. 6),
sub-ovatum, utraque sulcatum infeme, in caudam
tenuem desinens ( podosperme, Rich.) Jig. 8.
I ntegumentum simplex, coriaceo-membranaceum, cas-
taneum, puneds elevatis scabrum.
Albumen nullum.
Embryo carnosus, albus, cylindraceo-acuminatus, instar
ferri equini conduplicatus ; radicula inféra
' Cfe- %
Fig. 1 . Calyx seen from beneath. Fig. 9. Petal. F.
all of the natural size. Fig. 5. Head of capsules. Fig
tically to show the situation of the seed. Fig. 8. Seed.
The radicle.
Root perennial, fibrous, the fibres numerous, long,
flexuose, brown.
Leaves altogether radical, erect or patent, varying remarkably
in length, sometimes three or four
inches, sometimes a foot or even more, linear-
' lanceolate, acutq, smooth, green, somewhat three-
nerved, the nerves connected by a kind of network,
a t the base much attenuated, petiolate,
somewhat sheathing; with the petioles semi-
cylindrical, succulent, interrupted with dissepiments,
so as when dry to appear jointed.
Scapes two or three, rarely more, generally longer than
the leaves, erect or decumbent, round, green
tinged with purple.
Flowers terminal, disposed in an umbel which is often
proliferous.
P eduncles from five to twelve, equal in length with
each other, simple, round, furnished with three
or four ovate, acuminate, membranaceous, brown
bracteee.
Calyx three-leaved, small, green, with the lacinise round
and persistent.
Corolla : three patent petals, more than twice the
length of the calyx; the claw small; the limb
flesh-coloured, round, undulate, the margin cremate.
Stamens six, much shorter than the petals; Filaments
white; Anthers yellow.
Ovaries (Jig. 3) about twenty, ovato-acuminate, imbricated,
and collected into a ball. Style short,
simple. Stigma minute, brown, capitate.
P e r ica rp superior: as many capsules as ovaries, collected
into an echinate or squarrose ball, but distinct
from each other, fixed only by the base upon
the receptacle, ovato-deltoid, triangular and ap-
pressed, furrowed on the back and sides, one-
cel led, one-seeded, not dehiscent (Jig. 5).
Se ed one affixed to the base of the capsule, ascending
(Jig. 6), somewhat ovate, furrowed on each side,
and ending in a short tail ( podosperme, Rich.)
Jig- 8-
I ntegument simple, between membranaceous and coriaceous,
chesnut colour, rough with minute elevated
points.
Albumen none.
Embryo camose, white, cylindrical, acuminated upwards,
and doubled so as to resemble a horseshoe
; radicle inferior (Jig. 9). .
ig. 3. Ovarium and stamens. Fig. 4. Head of capsules:
. 6. Single capsule. Fig. 7. Pericarp cut through ver-
Fig. 9- Embryo. Fig. 10. The cotyledon. Fig. 1 1 .
The present plant is not a rare inhabitant of stagnant waters, especially in marshy counties, in various parts of
Great Britain. Wc have gathered unusually large specimens at Dunfanaghy, a wild and barren spot near the northwestern
extremity of Ireland ; for this, like many aquatics, is liable to considerable variation in the size of different
individuals.
The fruit bears much resemblance to that of the genus Ranunculus, and affords an example of that kind which
Mirbel has denominated Etoerio (Etairon) ; nor are the leaves unlike those of Ranunculus Flammula; from either
or both of which circumstances it may be supposed to have derived its specific name.
As a species it is most allied with the more common A. Plantago ; but it may be known by the much greater
narrowness of its leaves, by the flowers not being in whorls, and above all by the capsules being collected into a
bristly head.
Alisma Damasonium of Linnæus belongs to another genus, Damasonium of Jussieu and Actinocarpus of Brown,
which, this latter botanist observes, differs abundantly from Alisma by the determined number of its capsules, by their
being stellate, united at the base, and containing two seeds. “ S em in a he adds, “ alterna pedicellata, altero e
fundo capsulæ orto erecto, altero ad ejusdem flexuram horizontali.”—Prodr. FI. Nov. Holl. p . 342.
Linnæus included the genus Alisma in his natural order of Tripetaloidece ; Jussieu among his Junei; Ventenat
separated the Fluviales, and called the remaining ones, among which was our Alisma, Alismoidece ; and Decan-
dolle and Brown have established the order Alismaceee* : containing (besides the types of it, Alisma and Actinocarpus,)
Ruppia, Zannichcllia, Potamogeton, Triglochin, Scheuchzeria, and Butomus. Richard has since divided
this order. The three first o f the genera (to which is added Zostera) he has brought under his Fluviales, the two
next under his Juncagineee, and for the last he has made a new order, Butomece. To the genus in question, along
with Sagittaria, Damasonium, and an exotic genus Echinodorus, he has reserved the appellation of Alismaceee, and
has thus characterized it : “ Calyx semipetaloideus ; Semen unicum aut duo distanter suturalia, erecta seu ascen-
dentia ; Embryo homotropus (radiculâ ad hilum seminis versâ), hippocrepicus (seu flexus instar ferri equini.)”—
Mémoires du Muséum, an. L p . 365.
We shall gladly embrace the opportunity which will be afforded us of noticing more fully the important remarks
of these able botanists when we come to treat of the genera of these respective orders.
* The characters of this order will be found under Alisma Plantago; Curt. Lond. ed. 2.