144 FLOWERS OF LAKES, RIVERS, ETC. 



bloom in |iilv ;ind Air^ust. A herbaceous perennial, ihe plant is 

 propagated by seeds. 



The stigma ripens first, and self-pollination is avoided. The tlowers 

 are pollinated by the wind. The tlowers are in spherical heads, the 

 male above. There are 3 6 stamens, which are alternate with 3-6 

 perianth-scales, antl the connective is scarcely proiluced. The stigma 

 is linear. The anthers open laterally. The temale llower consists 

 of 1-2 carpels, i ovule, pendulous near the base of the ovary. 



The fruits are drupes which fall when ripe to the earth or water, 

 being thus dispersed. A few may be dispersed by birds. 



Branched lUir-rccd is acjuatic, and a peatdoving phuu growing in 

 peat soil or in water half-submerged. 



Several beetles, Tclmalophilus span^anii, T. sclioiihcrn, Donacia 

 vii/j^cvis, D. cinerca, Lepidoptera, Gold S^ot [Phisia fesiuac), A'onagi-ia 

 sparganii, Oii/io/w/ia sparoaiic//a, and a tly, Shnulia replans, are found 

 on it. 



Span^aiiiiiiii, Dioscorides, is from the Greek spai-j^aiioii, band, from 

 the long narrow leaves, and crcctitni reters to the upright fiower-heads. 



Some names given to the plant are Bede-sedge, Bur-tlag, Bur-reed, 

 Reed Grass, Knop Sedge, Seg or Seggs, Seggin. The first name 

 refers to the large beadlike fruits, as also does Bur-reed. 



EssENTL\L Specific Characters: — 



310. Sparganimn crccium, L. — Stem erect, branched abo\e, leaves 

 triquetrous below, side concave, male fiowers in heads, brown, sessile, 

 u[)per heatls barren. 



Sweet Flag (.\corus Calamus, L.) 



The distribution ot this rather local a(]uatic jilant, which is known 

 only from its modern occurrence, is X. Temperate Europe (e.Kcept 

 Greece), N. Asia, eastward to the Mimalayas, X. America. In Great 

 Britain it grows in N. Somerset only in the Peninsula province; in 

 N. Wills, Dorset, Hants in the Channel; in the Thames province, not 

 in Kent, Herts; in .Anglia, in W. .Suffolk, Cambridge, Hunts, North- 

 ampton; in the Severn province, in Warwick, Stafford, Salop; Car- 

 narvon, in X. Wales; in the Trent province, e.xcept in Lines; in the 

 Humber i)rovince, except Mid and X.W. Vorks, and elsewhere 

 generalK' from A'ork and Lancaster to Somerset and Sussex. It is 

 naturalized in Scotland and Ireland. Considered by Bentham native 

 in the East counties, Ludwig says it is descended in I-Luropc from 

 a plant brought by Clusius from the East. 



