VILLA'RSIA*. Linnean Class and Order. PENTA'NDRIA; MONOGY'NIA. Natural Order. GENTIA'NEE, Dr. R. Brown.-Lindl. Syn. p. 177.; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 215.-Rich. by Macgilliv. p. 444.-Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 526.-LYSIMACHIE, affinia, Juss. Gen. Pl. pp. 95 & 97.-SYRINGALES; subord. PRIMULOSÆ; sect. GENTIANINE; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 900, 958, and 1008.— PRECIE, Linn. GEN. CHAR. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, permanent, of 1 sepal, in 5 deep segments. Corolla of 1 petal, somewhat wheel-shaped, tube short; limb spreading, deeply 5-parted, smooth in the disk, bearded or scaly at the base, with an inflexed margin. Filaments (see fig. 2.) 5, alternate with the segments of the corolla. Anthers (fig. 2, a.) upright. Germen (see fig. 2, b.) conical. Style 1. Stigma 2-lobed, the lobes toothed. Glands 5, hypogynous, alternate with the stamens. Capsule (fig. 3.) 1-celled, 2-valved, and many-seeded, (in the floating species the capsule is indehiscent); the valves bearing the seeds in their axis (see figs. 4 to 7). Leaves simple. Lindl. Syn. The wheel-shaped, 5-parted corolla, smooth in the disk, bearded at the base, with an inflexed margin; the 1-celled capsule; and parietal seeds; will distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order. One species British. VILLA'RSIA NYMPHÆOIDES. Nymphæa-like Villarsia. Fringed Buckbean. Fringed Water-lily. SPEC. CHAR. Leaves roundish-heart-shaped, floating. Peduncles aggregate, single flowered. Corollas ciliated. Hooker. Hook. Fl. Lond. t. 168.-Brit. Fl. p. 92.-Lindl. Syn. p. 179.-Walk. Fl. of Oxf. p. 53.-Pamplin's Pl. of Battersea and Clapham, p. 5.-Menyanthes nymphæoides, Engl. Bot. t. 217.-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 207.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed) p. 85.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 226. Engl. Fl. v. i. p. 275.-With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 292.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 73.-Relh. Fl. Cantab. (3rd ed.) p. 85.Purt. Midl. Fl. v. iii. p. 18.-Limnanthes peltata, Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 340.-Nymphaea lutea minor, Alore fimbriato, Ray's Syn. p. 368. LOCALITIES.-In ponds, slow streams, and the marginal recesses of large rivers. Rare.-Oxfordsh. Abundant in many places about Oxford, especially in the Isis, and watery ditches near it. At Hinksey Ferry. Near the third bridge from Botley Toll-gate. In a broad shallow piece of water opposite to Medley Lock; and in a branch of the Isis opposite the draw bridge at the back of Jericho. Near Godstow Bridge. In the Cherwell at the further corner of Magdalen Water Walks; and in the Isis between Sandford and Nuneham: 1835, W. B. In ponds at Sarsden: H. WOOLCOMBE, Esq.-Berks; In the Thames Fig. 1. Calyx and Germen.-Fig. 2. Stamens, Germen, Style, and Stigma.Fig. 3. Capsule.-Fig. 4. Transverse section of the same.-Fig. 5. A vertical section of ditto, showing the situation of the seeds.-Fig. 6. A seed.-Fig. 7. The same magnified.-Fig. 8. A Seed divested of its skin or testa. *A genus divided from Menyanthes, and named in compliment to M. DE VILLARS, a distinguished French Botanist, and Professor at Strasburg; he carefully examined the Alps which divide Italy from Switzerland, the Vosges, and the South of France, along with CHAIX, a clergyman at Gap, and CLAPIER, Physician at Grenoble. He was author of the classical Histoire des Plantes de Dauphiné, Grenoble, 1786-1789, in 3 vols. 8vo.; with 55 Copper-plates. He died in 1813. Eight exotic species of this genus are enumerated in LOUDON'S Hortus Britannicus. + See Anchusa sempervirens, folio 48. at Ankerwick, near Windsor: Rev. Dr. GOODENOUGH. In the Isis between Kennington and Radley, plentiful: 1835, W. B.-Bucks; On Datchet Common, plentiful: Mr. GOTOBFD. Cambridgesh. Rivers about Streatham Ferry: MERRET and RELHAN. In the Cam below Cambridge. Fens near Ely. Littleport, and old Bedford River: Rev. R. RELHAN.-Cumberland; At Keswick: Mr. HUTTON.-Essex; In the river Rhodon almost opposite the eighth milestone in the road to Woodford Bridge, near the bridge; and between that and Luxborough House: WARNER.-Hampsh. In a pond between Old Basing and Nately: Rev. R. APPLETON.-Huntingdonsh. In the back water at Hemmingford: Rev. R. RELHAN. Middlesex; In creeks of the river Thames near Sunbury, in vast plenty; and in most creeks of the Thames in that district: Sir J. BANKS. Pond in London Fields, Hackney: Mr. J. Woons, jun.—Norfolk ; Wisbech River, a little before you come to that town from Downhanı: Mr. SKRIMSHIRE.-Northamptonsh. In the Nyne at Peterborough, plentiful: MORTON.-Northumberland; Naturalized in the ponds at Wallington: N. J. WINCH, Esq.-Surrey; Above Kingston Bridge: BLACKSTONE. In the Thames near Walton Bridge: EARL of DARTMOUTH. In the Thames at Kingston, Hampton, &c. and in the pond opposite the Five Houses, Wandsworth Com mon, abundantly, where it was placed not many years ago by Mr. W. ANDERSON, Curator of the Apothecaries' Garden at Chelsea; and is now become completely naturalized: Mr. W. PAMPLIN, jun. 1827.-Sussex; In ditches in Lewes Level: W. BORRER, Esq.-Yorksh. "In the lake of Castle Howard, abundantly, where I planted it. I believe it is not a native of that neighbourhood:" Mr. R. TEESDALE, 1792. Perennial.-Flowers from June to September. Roots long, and stringy. Stems long, round, branching, leafy. Leaves roundish-heart-shaped, floating, very smooth, shining, and sometimes spotted above, purplish beneath, involute in the bud, their margins somewhat waved or repand-toothed; on petioles which vary in length according to the depth of water in which they grow. Flowers axillary, on simple stalks (peduncles), which grow several together in a kind of sessile umbel. Corolla about an inch and a half in diameter, of a light yellow colour, with a darker radiating disk; segments inversely egg-shaped, finely toothed or ciliated at the margin. Germen with 5 purplish glands at the base. Stigmas 5-cleft, notched, deciduous. Capsule (fig. 3.) eggshaped, compressed. Seeds (figs. 6 & 7.) numerous, inversely egg-shaped, flattish, of a brownish colour, with a membranaceous ciliated margin. "When the fructification is completed, the stem, which rose many feet in order to support the flower above the surface of the water, sinks considerably beneath it, and there remains till the next season of flowering, when it again resumes its annual task." Times Telesc. for 1825, p. 198; & 1829, p. 275. Villarsia nymphaoides is a handsome plant, and well adapted for ornamenting large pieces of water. It is of easy cultivation; and when it has once established itself it is difficult to eradicate it, as the stem sends out roots from every joint. It is a native of Denmark, Holland, Germany, Piedmont, and Siberia, as well as of England. In Japan the leaves are salted, and become a very glutinous substance; it is used in soups, boiled in which it becomes tender. KÆMPFER. |