Limnanthemum
(from limne, a marsh or pool, and anthemon, a blossom; referring to the natural habitat of the species). Floating Heart. SYNS. Schweyckerta, Waldschmidia. ORD. Gentianeae. About two dozen species have been referred to this genus; these may probably be reduced to about ten. They are ornamental aquatic plants, closely allied to Villarsia, widely dispersed over the temperate and warmer regions of the globe, seven being natives of Australia. Flowers yellow or white; peduncles one-flowered, either in the tufts of leaves, or two together, or clustered at the nodes of the weak stems, or close to an almost terminal sessile leaf; corolla sub-rotate, the lobes five, entire or fringed. Capsule indehiscent or bursting irregularly when ripe. Leaves ovate or orbiculate, deeply cordate, entire or obscurely sinuate. For culture, see Villarsia.
L. indicum (Indian). fl., corolla yellow, the margins fringed. l. orbicular or broadly oval, deeply cordate, usually entire, with a close or open sinus, coriaceous, palmately veined and reticulate, but the veins not prominent. North Australia. SYN. Menyanthes indica (under which name it is figured in B. M. 658). L. Ecklonianum, L. Forbesianum, L. Humboldtianum, L. orbiculatum, and L. Thunbergianum, are probably forms of this species. L. nymphaeoides (Nymphaea-like).* fl., corolla yellow; segments ciliated; umbels sessile, terminal, or in the forks of the stems. Summer. l. opposite, cordate-orbicular or orbicularly reniform, repand. Britain. A very beautiful hardy aquatic, but somewhat difficult to eradicate when once established. SYN. Villarsia nymphaeoides. (Sy. En. B. 921.)