COMMON WHITE WATER CROWFOOT 



Ranunculus trichophyllus Chaix. 



June To .-submerge many a terrestial plant is to drown it, 



Swamps, lakes hut certain plants are peculiarly fitted to live under- 

 water and cannot survive long elsewhere. In slowly 

 moving streams and hroad, shallow swam})s there lives the white water 

 crowfoot, a member of the Buttercup clan, whose entire plant, all but the 

 flowers, is submerged. 



In needing sunlight and air for blossoming, the whiti^ water crow- 

 foot admits its kinship with land plants. Although it needs water for its 

 roots, stems, and leaves, the flowers must rise on tall stems above the 

 surface of the water in order to l)loom and make seeds. 



They are scat- 

 flying insects 

 which come to pollinate them. The centers of the white flowers arc clus- 

 tered thickly with stamens around a compound grccnisli center of many 

 pistils, where the seeds form. This is the ancient patteiii of the pi-e- 

 historic buttercup, ancestor of all other flowers. 



The ripe seeds fall into the water and sink to the luud. lf(Mv they 

 gemiinate, send out roots into the ooze, send up stems with lliiely cut. 

 water-loving leaves, and. at last, there come steins which go upward intn 

 the sunshine and spread their blossoms in the open air. 



The flowers look like glistening white buttercups, 

 tered like shining stars over the bright water and invitt 



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