H Y D R O C H A R IS Morfus -ra n * .
Common Frog-bit.
DIO EC 1A Enneandria.
Gen. Char. M a l e , Cal 3 - d e f t . Pet. 3 . T h r e e
in te r io r filaments b e a k e d . F em a le , Cal. 3 - c le f t .
Pet. 3 . Styles 6. Cap/, in fe r io r , w ith 6 c e lls ,
an d m an y feeds.
S tec. Char. . . . .
Syn. H y d ro c h a r is M o rfu s -ran a e . Linn. Sp. PI. 14.66.
Hudf. 4 3 6 . With. 3 9 4 . Hull. 22a.' Relb. 3 7 3 !
Sihth. 13 5* -Abbot. 2 1 6 . Curt. Lond. fafic. 3 . t. 6 4 . 0
S t ra t io te s fo liis A fa r i, fem in e ro tu n d o . Rail Syn. 2 9 0 .
A H E Hydrocharis is perennial, floating on the furface of
ditches and flow ftreams, almoft covering the water with its
leaves, and agreeably enlivening it with its delicate and brilliant
blofloms in the months of July and Auguft. The ftems
throw out from their joints clutters of leaves and flowers, accompanied
by brown membranous ttipulae, along with feveral
llraight Ample roots, that defcend perpendicularly into the
mud. Every part is fmooth. The leaves kidney-fhaped,
entire, often purple beneath. Like moil aquatics they abound
with air-veflels, perfpire very copioufly, and dry rapidly. The
flowers form a fort of fmall umbel, invefted with a pair of
brafiteae, but only one flower in each umbel opens at a time;
they are dioecious, and very thort-lived. In the male flowers
about 3 of the upper or interior ftamina are barren, the filament
terminating in a Ample or forked beak, refembling a
ftyle j while the ftyles of the female have a few imperfect
anther» cluftered about their bafe.
Ray mentions a variety with fragrant double flowers, which
Mr, Relhan informs us is not now to be found in the place '
he indicates. Flowers with 6 petals now and then occur.
808
F u b b fk d b y Jcoi