184- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



well in loam and peat, with the roots only immersed in water. It 

 belongs to the natural order Polypodiacese. 



Htdkolea spinosa. — This minute plant represents the order 

 Hydrolacese ; and its flowers vie with the intense blue of the 

 empyrean. The stem and foliage are decked with numerous spines, 

 as a protection to the charming buds which raise their graceful form, 

 above them. It grows most luxuriously in a loamy soil, in shallow 

 water, and placed in a stove where heat is maintained. Its name is 

 derived from hydor, water, elaia, oil. Introduced from South America 

 in 1791. 



Victoria Eegina. — This is the most popular aquatic, and most 

 majestic in appearance : it flowers in January in its native country, 

 Guiana. It was discovered by Sir E. H. Schomburgk, in 1837 ; he 

 describes it as " a vegetable wonder." Its immense leaves are from 

 six to seven feet in diameter, salver-shaped, with a broadrim of a light 

 green above and vivid crimson below. Its flowers, resting upon the 

 water, are in character with the leaves, consisting of many hundred 

 petals passing in alternate tints from pure white to rose and pink, 

 about fifteen inches across. The leaf on its surface is bright green, 

 in form orbiculate ; the stem of the flower is an inch thick near the 

 calyx, and is studded with sharp elastic prickles, about three-quarters 

 of an inch in length ; the calyx is four-leaved, each leaf upwards of 

 seven inches in length, and three in breadth ; they are thick and 

 white inside, reddish brown and prickly outside ; the diameter of the 

 calyx is twelve or thirteen inches. The magnificent flower, when 

 fully developed, resting upon the calyx, completely covers it with its 

 hundred petals ; when it first opens it is white, with pink in the 

 centre, which spreads over the whole flower as it advances in age ; 

 it is generally pink on the second day after its expansion : as an 

 enhancement of its remarkable beauty, it is also sweet-scented. 



Hardy and British Species. 



The aquatic plants which are cultivated in British aquariums 

 possess considerable and peculiar attractions. The purple of Butomus 

 umbellatus gives an imposing effect to British ponds, while the 

 elegant form of Hottonia palustris, the " naiad of the stream," 

 enlivens many a month with its rosy flowers peeping from among 

 the sedge, and the dead leaves of grasses by which it is environed. 

 Menyanthes trifoliata again decks the margin of our English ditches 

 with its interesting and lovely flowers, while the Eichardia .iEthio- 

 pica, or Calla JEthiopica, from the remarkable purity of its wax-like 

 flowers, fixed on their long elastic stems, wave in graceful motion by 

 the summer's evening zephyr reflected in the mirrored surface of the 

 water. 



The situation best adapted for hardy aquatics is found to be in 

 accordance with the height attained by them ; and according to this 

 feature, so must the depth of water be regulated in which they are 

 to be immerged : thus the Eichardia iEthiopica, Nymphsea alba, and 

 Nuphar lutea, require a depth of from one to two feet, while the 

 Caitha palustris, Hydrocharis morsus ranse, Sagittaria sagittifolia, 

 Acorus calamus, Butomus umbellatus, Zanichellia palustris, etc., 



