Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

I am unable from the descriptions to refer it altogether
satisfactorily to any described species. Of these, only one
of the species with racemose inflorescence has been hitherto
well figured, namely, that referred (t. 2932) to Swartz's
Pontederia azurea (which is also figured in Martius' " Nova
Genera et Species," as P. crassipes, Martius). This Kunth
considers not to be Swartz's plant, and makes a new species
of it ; E. speciosa, Kth. In so doing he is very probably
justified, though it is to be regretted that he did not retain
Martius' characteristic name of crassipes, especially as he
quotes that author's description and figure. Swartz's P.
azurea, then, is Kunth's Eichornia azurea, and the doubt
in my mind is whether the subject of the present plate is
referable to it. On the one hand, it appears to agree with
a specimen of the only Jamaica species known to me which
could be considered as Swartz's azurea, gathered by Purdie,
and which Grisebach considers the true one ; on the other
hand, neither Swartz, nor P. Browne in his full description,
alludes to the beautifully-toothed inner perianth segment
of our plant, nor can the latter author's description of the
stamens be regarded as quite satisfactory : " filamenta . . 3
superiora ad basim tubo adnata ; 3 inferiora in fundo floris
sita." Browne adds, " I observed this plant in most of
the Lagoons about the Ferry ; " and Purdie's ticket bears
" Habitat, behind the Ferry," which must be regarded as
settling the point in the present state of our knowledge.
The figure cited of Schlechtendahl, appears to represent
a larger-flowered plant than this, with flowers not in pairs,
almost orbicular-obovate, much larger inner perianth lobes,
and the eye-like spot rounded.
E. azurea is, as far as can be ascertained by a comparison
of dried specimens, a common tropical South American
water-plant, extending from South Brazil to Jamaica ; it
varies greatly in the size and form of the leaves and length
of the petiole, and is found either floating, or rooted and
erect in the muddy bottom of shallow water. It was
introduced into the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society,
Regent's Park, from Brazil, and flowered there in July of
last year, and I am indebted to Mr. Sowerby for the plant
here figured.
DESCR. Stems as thick as the thumb, floating and rooting,
green, smooth, flexuous. Leaves on long or short petioles,