CULTURE OF WATER LILIES, ETC. 139 



Pontederia Crassijyes. — This is an extremely interest- 

 ing plant, which floats upon the surface of the water 

 like Water Lettuce. Each crown produces neat rosettes 

 of leaves, the stems of which are enlarged in the middle 

 into curious oval bulbs filled with air cells, which enable 

 the whole plant to swim. It should be wintered in a 

 warm greenhouse. 



Salvinia Braziliensis. — A very pretty floating plant 

 something like our native '* Duck-meat," but very much 

 larger. Its leaves have a delicate hairy surface. Tender. 



TriancBa Bogotensis. — A floating plant, with tliick, 

 spongy leaves, from one-half to one inch in diameter. 

 Very curious, but tender. 



Azolla Caroliniana (Floating Moss). — A floating plant 

 which produces no flowers, but is exceedingly interesting 

 on account of the delicacy and beauty of its foliage, 

 which resembles a lovely green moss or Selaginelln. A 

 small plant placed in a pan of water soon covers the 

 whole surface, and presents an appearance something 

 like a pan of ^^Selaginella densa.'' If grown out of 

 doors, in full sunshine, the plant assumes a reddish 

 color. It is entirely hardy. 



PITCHER PLANTS. 



As these are water-loving plants, we have thought best 

 to introduce them here. Sarracenia imrj^urea is per- 

 fectly hardy. S. jlava and S. variolaris have stood the 

 winter in the latitude of New Jersey, naturalized in a 

 peat bog. The most of this class, however, are best 

 grown in pots of fine peaty soil, surfaced with live sphag- 

 num, and kept standing in a pan of water in the green- 

 house. 



Sarracenia Drumjnondii Alba. — The pitchers of this 

 are two feet high, slender at the base and widening at 



