TVPHACEiE. 



366 



2. L. MINOR. • 



Fronrfs nearly ovate, compressed ; root solitary. This little floatin|r plant 

 occurs in dense patches on the surface of stagnant waters. The leaves, prop- 

 erly fronds, adhere 2 — 3 together, ] inch in length, rather thick, and convex 

 below. Root undivided, sheathed at the end. Flowers minute, Iroin a cleft in 

 the margin of the fronds, near the base. Jn. — Sept. Lesser Duck-meat. 



3. L. GIBBA. 



Fro7ids obovate, hemispherical beneath, nearly plain above ; root •olitary. 

 Floating on tlie surface of stagnant waters. N. York. Fronds about a line in 

 leno-th, pellucid and reticulated beneath. June — Sept. Gibbous Duck-meat. 



4. L. POLYRHl'ZA. 



Fronds broad-ovate, a little convex beneath ; roots numerous. Floating in 

 stagnant waters. Fronds resembling flax-seed but larger (2 — 4 lines long), 

 scattered on the surface of the water, of a firm, but succulent texture, becom- 

 ing purplish. Roots in thick bundles of 8—10 black fibres from the under 

 surface of the fronds. All these species are eaten by ducks and other aquatic 

 birds. June— Sept. Greater Duck-meat. 



ORDER CXXXVIII. TYPHACEiE. '^he Reed-mace Tribe. 



.jfi^.—Moncccious, arranged upon a spadix with no spathe. 



fW.— SepaLs 3 or 0. Corolla 0. • 



Sta —3—6. Filaments long and slender. Anthers mmeiform, erect. 



Ova.— I free 1-celled, with a solitary pendulous ovule. 6>tyl» short. Stig. 1—2. 



/,>,_ Utricle with an albuminous seed. 



An order consisting of the two following genera only. They are herbs, growing in 

 marshes or ditches. Stems without joints. Leaves rigid, ensiform, with parallel veins. 



Genera. 



flong and cylindrical Ti/pka. 1 



Spadix of flowers {globose Sparganium. 2 



1. TYPHA. 

 Spadix of flowers long, cylindric, dense. Sterile. — Stamens 

 about 3 (ogether, united into a common filament. Fertile 

 flowers fcfelow Ihe^ sterile; ovary pedicellate, surrounded at 

 base by a hair-like pappu?. 



Gr. rvOoi, a marsh ; where all the species grow. Fvoot perennial. Spadix 

 terminal. Fls. very numerous. 



T. latifo'lia. 



Leaves ensiform, concave within near the base ; sterile and fertile spikes 

 close together, or a little remote. A common, smooth, tall inhabitant of the 

 water in muddy pools and ditches. The stem arises from 3 to ;"> feet, round 

 and smooth, leafy below, terminated by the large cylindric spikes. Spikes of 

 a brown color, (j — 10 inches in length, composed of slender, downy flowers 

 so compact, particularly the fertile ones, as to be of considerable hardness. 

 The upper portion is smaller, composed of the sterile flowers. Leaves some- 

 what sword-shaped, erect, 2—4 feet long and nearly an inch wide. They 

 are called flao-s and made useful for weaving the seals of chairs, &c. July. 

 " Cat-tail. Reed-mace. 



