350 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



ends, with a long beak. The seed is smooth and 

 contains endosperm. 



In height this species is i to 3 ft. It flowers in 

 July and August, and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Being a monoecious plant, with the male flowers 

 above the female, cross- or self-pollination occurs, but 

 as the stigma ripens in advance of the anthers the 

 former is more general. Pollination is effected by 

 the wind. 



Being slightly hooked the fruits may be dispersed 

 by animals. But the fruits are attached by a long 

 slender stalk, and the fruit may be wind-dispersed, 

 or if it falls in the water may be dispersed by water. 



Blackweed, Unbranched Erect Bur Reed, are the 

 only names. 



Sparganium simplex. — In this ilhistration (Fig. 97) 

 note the leaves are flat above, three-sided below, and clasp 

 the stern at the base. The inflorescence is an unbranched 

 spike. The male flowers are at the top, and sessile, the 

 female stalked. 



Great Reed Mace or Cat's Tail {Typha latifolia). 



There are two British species of Reed Mace, one, 

 the larger, with the thick black spike, the smaller 

 with a slender brown spike. In the former the leaves 

 are broad (hence latifolia), in the latter they are 

 narrower. 



In the Greek name Typha, given by Theophrastus, 

 from typhos, a pool, the habitat is indicated. This 



