a8o THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



in which the flowers are pollinated on the surface of 

 the water. 



Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-rance) . 



That this is one of the most elegant aquatic plants is 

 emphasised in the first Latin name of Frogbit, coined 

 by Linnseus. The second scientific name and the 

 English name refer to the supposed preference of 

 frogs for the leaves, the margins of which they were 

 said to bite. To whatever cause this be due, it is, 

 however, a mere fiction that frogs bite the leaves. 



Found in England generally, Frogbit occurs in 

 Ireland also, but is local there. In Scotland it is 

 not indigenous. Indeed its occurrence in many parts 

 of the country must, it is feared, be regarded as arti- 

 ficial, like that of the White Water Lily, and other 

 elegant water plants. The writer has found that 

 certain dealers in such plants for botanical classes 

 and other clients use ponds and lakes, as well as 

 streams and rivers, as stock ponds for the preserva- 

 tion and propagation of their original supply. For 

 purposes of plant distribution, these artificially dis- 

 persed plants are useless, and the practice is to be 

 deprecated unless the dealer announce the fact so 

 that botanists may be on their guard. This method 

 has been adopted by some who take a delight in the 

 propagation of such beautiful flowers. In some cases 

 the practice may be beneficial as tending to preserve 

 rare types endangered in their native habitats. The 



