Hydro cha rid a'ceæ, Hydro Char Ads

n. pl. ( Bot.) An order of plants, alliance Hydrales. DIAG. Epigynous stamens, and an adherent ovary. The species are inhabitants of fresh water. Their flowers are spathaceous, regular, dicæcio us, or polygamous; the perianth is superior, in 1 or 2 whorls of 3 pieces, the inner whorl being petaloid; the ovary is inferior, 1-9-celled; the fruit indehiscent, with numerous seeds, which are without albumen. The fresh-water aquarium has made many of these simple plants familiar objects. One of them, Valisneria spiral is, is the best and more lasting of all aquarian plants. An achars is als in a strum, the American Waterweed, or Water-thyme; Stratiotes aloides, the Water soldier; and Hydro char is Morsus-ranæ, or Spongiosa, the Frog-bit, are also plants of this order which have been transplanted from our ponds and ditches to the aquaria of our parlors and conservatories.