very short or wanting. Upper leaves quite sessile. Floating
leaves very rarely produced, tripartite, with sessile or stalked
wedge-shaped segments, of which the sides are very nearly
straight; if stalked, the middle segment has much the shortest
stalk, it is always much smaller than the others, and usually
directed downwards into the water, so as to be at right angles
with them; their petioles are rather long and nearly cylindrical.
These flat leaves soon fade and disappear, and a series
of submerged leaves succeeds them. Stipules broad, rounded,
auricled, much adnate to the petiole. Peduncles' equally thick
throughout. Flowers very small. Sepals ovate, very blunt,
concave, greenish dotted with purple, especially towards the
diaphanous edge. Petals not touching each other, white,
wedge-shaped, yellow, and slightly clawed at the base, 5-7-
veined. Nectary scarcely margined or prominent. Stamens
rarely more than 10. Style prolonging the inner edge of the
ovary, short, curved. Carpels blunt, rather hairy at the end,
which is a little inflated, and has a broad edge; inner edge
nearly straight. Receptacle thick, oblong. Colour of the
plant a bright lively green.
I t is probable that this is a common plant, but, like several
of its near allies, it is not generally understood, and therefore,
not recognized. I possess specimens from Brading, Isle of
Wight, Mr. A. G. More, Byford, Herefordshire, Rev. W. H.
Purchas, Burnham, Norfolk, Rev. W. W. Newbould, and from
several places in Cambridgeshire. The specimens drawn were
sent by the Rev. W. W. Newbould, from Comberton near
Cambridge, in June 1856. It is in flower during May and
June.
The singular floating leaves are a peculiarity of this plant,
and well deserve remark.
The bright green colour of the collapsing leaves, the inflated
but flattened and blunt-ended carpels, and the loose habit
distinguish this plant from R. trichophyllus and R. hetero-
phyllus, with which alone it can be confounded.—C. C. B.