Hydrolea
(from hydor, water, and elaia, oil; alluding to the habitat and nature of the plants). SYNS. Reichelia, Sagonea, Steris. ORD. Hydrophyllaceoe. A genus comprising about fourteen species of herbs or sub-shrubs, inhabiting North and South America, tropical Africa, the West Indies, the Malayan Archipelago, and tropical Australia. Flowers blue, axillary or terminal; corolla broadly campanulate-rotate, five-fid; lobes imbricated. Leaves alternate, entire. The species require damp, boggy positions to thrive thoroughly.
H. caroliniana (Carolina). fl. blue, one to five together, axillary, almost sessile. Summer. l. lanceolate, very acute, 1in. to 3in. long. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North Carolina, 1824. SYN. H. quadrivalvis.
H. corymbosa (corymbose). fl. blue, in a terminal corymbose cyme; sepals linear-lanceolate, villous-hispid. Summer. l. lanceolate, nearly sessile, glabrous. h. 1ft. to 2ft. South Carolina to Florida. H. quadrivalvis (four-valved). A synonym of H. caroliniana. H. spinosa (thorny). fl. pale blue, terminal, corymbose, June and July. l. lanceolate. h. 1ft. South America, 1791. (B. R. 566.)