WHITE 



ARROW-HEAD. 



Sagittaria variabilis . Water-plantain Family. 



Scape. — A few inches to several feet high. Leaves. — Arrow-shaped. 

 Flowers. — White ; unisexual ; in whorls of three on the leafless scape. Calyx. 

 — Of three sepals. Corolla. — Of three white, rounded petals. Stamens and 

 Pistils. — Indefinite in number; occurring in different flowers; the lower 

 whorls of flowers usually being pistillate, the upper staminate. 



Among our water-flowers none are more delicately lovely than 

 those of the arrow-head. Fortunately the ugly and inconspic- 

 uous female flowers grow on the lower whorls, while the male 

 ones, with their snowy petals and golden centres, are arranged 

 about the upper part of the scape, where the eye first falls. It is 

 a pleasure to chance upon a slow stream whose margins are bor- 

 dered with these fragile blossoms and bright, arrow-shaped 

 leaves. 



WATER-PLANTAIN. 



Alisma Plantago. Water-plantain Family. 



Scape. — One to three feet high ; bearing the flowers in whorled, panicled 

 branches. Leaves. — From the root ; oblong, lance-shaped or linear, mostly 

 rounded or heart-shaped at base. Flowers. — White or pale pink; small; 

 in large, loose clusters which branch from the scape. Calyx. — Of three se- 

 pals. Corolla. — Of three petals. Stamens. — Usually six. Pistils. — Many, 

 on a flattened receptacle. 



The water-plantain is nearly related to the arrow-head, and 

 is often found blossoming with it in marshy places or shallow 

 water. 



GROUNDSEL TREE. 



Baccharis halimifolia. Composite Family. 



A shrub from six to twelve feet high. Leaves. — Somewhat ovate and 

 wedge-shaped ; coarsely toothed, or the upper entire. I-lowcr-heads. — 

 Whitish or yellowish ; composed of unisexual tubular flowers ; the stamens 

 and pistils occurring on different plants. 



Some October day, as we pick our way through the salt 

 marshes which lie back of the beach, we may spy in the distance 



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