234 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



or rarely branched at the base, round in section, with 

 many joints. In rare cases it is floating, limp, and 

 does not flower. The upper part of the stem may 

 stand out of the water to the height of a foot. The 

 leaves are in crowded whorls of eight to twelve, rarely 

 spiral, and are flat, linear, acute, entire, with a hard 

 point on the erect stems. The submerged leaves are 

 transparent, smaller upwards, but usually longer than 

 on the aerial stems. The tips of the leaves are 

 withered. 



The flowers are minute, green, unstalked, in the 

 axils of the upper leaves. They are apetalous. The 

 calyx has an imperceptible border. There is only 

 one stamen (or none), one awl-like style, one ovule 

 and seed. Nature has here reduced the floral output 

 by the most rigid economy in all the parts. The 

 anthers are red. The ovary is globular or oblong, 

 and crowned by the calyx, bearing the stamen and 

 slender style. The fruit is a one-seeded nut or 

 drupe, which is small, green and smooth. 



The flowers, if they can be dignified by such a term, 

 are in bloom in June and July, and I have found 

 them on occasion as late as September, when the 

 fruit is usually mature. 



The plant is a herbaceous perennial, 6 in. to 2 ft. in 

 height, or in the case of the submerged form, i to 

 4 ft. in length. 



The flowers are sessile in the axils of the leaves, and 

 are hermaphrodite, or are female when the epigynous 

 stamen is absent. They are wind-pollinated. 



