CALYCIFLORiE 237 



leaves, the fine awl-like character of the leaflets being an 

 adaptation to aquatic conditions. 



Water Starwort (Callitriche verna). 



Some notion of the characteristics of this plant 

 may be obtained from the English name Starwort, 

 which refers to the star-like form of the terminal 

 rosette of leaves. The form of the leaves is again 

 suggested by the first Greek name " Callitriche," from 

 kalos, beautiful, and thrix, hair, the leaves being 

 narrow, though hardly hair-like. 



This species is found in every part of the British 

 Isles, southward from Shetland, ascending to 2200 ft. 

 in the Highlands. It occurs also in the Channel 

 Islands. 



The plant is aquatic, and found in ponds and 

 ditches, slow-flowing streams, shallow water, and on 

 wet mud. It is a member of the freshwater aquatic 

 formation. 



The Water Starwort is a submerged plant of aquatic 

 habit, with long, limp, tufted stems. Like most water 

 plants it is devoid of hairs, floating or creeping or 

 rooting in mud, round in section, with few branches. 

 The floating leaves are ovate to spoon-shaped^ 

 notched, three-nerved, forming a rosette (or these 

 may not be produced), the submerged leaves linear, 

 narrow, blunt, notched at the tip. 



The flowers are small, solitary, in the axils between 

 two minute white bracts, which are not persistent, 

 and bent inwards. 



