All the species of this Genus of plants are aquatic, or water plants, and differ but little from each other, in their specific characters. Our present subject is a native of the West India Islands, and requires the atmosphere of a hot-house to induce it to flower. The blossoms, on the lower part of the flower-stem, are all females; and those on the upper part, males; they are all exceedingly delicate, as either wind, or wet, destroys them. It increases by offsets from the root; but the seeds do not ripen in this country. It must be kept in a pan or tub half filled with earth, and the other half with water, but does not require to be plunged in the tan-bed.
Our figure was taken from a plant which flowered this year 1803 (and, for the first time in Britain, as we are informed by Mr. Anderson), in the month of July, in the Collection of J. Vere, Esq. Kensington Gore.[Pg 91]
PLATE CCCXXXIV.
STRUTHIOLA TOMENTOSA.
Downy-leaved Struthiola.
CLASS IV. ORDER I.
TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Four Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.