alisma

[Lat. alisma; Gr. αλίσμα ( alisma ) = the water-plantain.] Bot.: A genus of plants of the natural order Alismaceæ, or Alismads. Three species occur in Britain: the A. plant a go , or Greater Water plantain; the A. natans , or Floating Water plantain; and the A. ranunculoides , or Le er Water-plantain. The first is the best known. It is frequent in lakes, rivers, and ditches, and has pale, rose-coloured flowers, with six stamens. The Calmucks eat its rhizoma, having first dried it to take away its acidity. al-is-ma-çe-se, or al-is-mads, s. pl. [ALISMA.] Bot . An order of endogenous plants, with a perianth of six pieces, the three outer being herbaceous, and the three inner petaloid. The Ovaries are numerous. The genera Act i no car pus , Alisma , and Sagitta ria (q.v.) are British.