74 MONOECIA— TRIANDRIA. Sparganium. 



deciduous leaves. Cor. none. Filain. 3, capillary, erect, 

 longer than the calyx. Aiith. roundish, of 2 cells. 



Fert.Jl. numerous, in similar balls, beneath the former. 

 Cal. as in the barren fl. Cor, none. Germ, superior, 

 ovate. Style short, terminal. Stigma awl-shaped, or ovate, 

 oblique, downy at one side, mostly solitary, rarely 2, 

 permanent. Dnipa obovate, beaked, dry, of 1, rarely 2, 

 cells. Nut solitary, ovate. Embri/o cylindrical, straight, 

 in the centre of a mealy albumen. Common recept. glo- 

 bose, naked. 



Creeping-rooted, aquatic, juicy, smooth, upright or float- 

 ing herbs. Stem round, solid, leafy ; in some species 

 branched at the top. Leaves alternate, simple, linear, 

 flat, entire, pliant. Balls oijlowers alternate, on a com- 

 mon stalk. Anth, whitish. Germ, green. 



1. S. 7'amosum, Branched Bur-reed. 



Leaves triangular at the base, with concave sides. Com* 

 mon flower-stalk branched. Stigma linear. 



S. ramosum. Hwh. 40 1 . F/. Br. 1)6 1 . Engl. Bot. v.]]. t. 744. 



fVilld. Sp. PL V. 4. 199. Curt. Lond.fasc. 5. t. QQ. Hook. Scot. 



260. Rail Syn. 437. Bauh. Pin. 15. Theatr. 228. f. Ger. Em, 



45./. Moris, v. 3. 247. sect. 8. t. 13./. 1 . Ehrh. Calam. 138. 

 S. erectum. Linn. Sp. PL 1378. Leers 207. t. 13./, 11. 

 S. n. 1303. a. HalL HisL v. 2. 162. 

 Sparganium. Matth. Falgr, v. 2. 339./. Camer. Epit.7 32. f. Lob. 



Ic. 80./ 

 S. quibusdam. Bauh. Hist. v. 2. 541./ 

 Phleos foemina. Dalech. Hist. 1017./ 



In ditches, and the margins of ponds and rivers, common. 



Perennial. July, August. 



Stem upright, about 3 feet high, very vascular, terminating in seve- 

 ral alternate flower-branches, the lower ones accompanied by 

 short clasping leaves. Radical leaves triangular at the base, the 

 spaces between their angles somewhat concave, not flat j sword- 

 shaped, erect, and elongated in their upper part, ending rather 

 obtusely. Balls ofjlowers alternate, sessile ; the barren ones 

 white, above the rest, and most numerous. Calyx-leaves spatu- 

 late, brown. Style short. Stigmalong, oblique, downy at one 

 side, mostly solitary. Drupa with rarely more than one seed. 



The herbage serves for package, along with similar coarse grassy 

 plants, and is softer and more pliant than most of them, not 

 cutting the hands by any sharp edges, like Carices or Fern. 



