RIVER-SIDE FLOWERS. 365 



leaves (the flowers having died away), which are the largest 

 of any British plant, and when full-grown are nearly three 

 feet in diameter. They all spring from the root and stand 

 on thick upright foot - stalks, rounded and heart-shaped, 

 somewhat toothed, yellowish-green above, downy, but not 

 very white underneath. The flowers are pinkish more of 

 a pale flesh-colour. This plant is sometimes known by the 

 name of Pestilent Wort, from the juice being supposed to 

 be able to cure the plague. The name Butter Bur is 

 derived from the habit of the milk-maids always using the 

 large leaves to wrap the butter in. Flowers April and May. 



The GREAT SEDGE or CAREX (Carex riparid) Fig. in 

 " E. B.," 1679 is very common on the banks of most 

 rivers, and when flowering, if touched by the line or rod, 

 sends out a great cloud of pollen from its dark purplish- 

 yellow spikes. The name is derived from the Greek word 

 Keipo, to shear or cut, in allusion to its sharp leaves and 

 stems. It is distinguished from the LESSER SEDGE (Carex 

 paludosd) Fig. in " E. B.," 1678 by the leaves being 

 broader and more deeply keeled and rougher ; also by the 

 acuminated scales of its sterile spikes. Flowers May. 



There are sixty-three British species of Carex. 



A very pretty little plant, common on the banks of lakes 

 and ornamental waters, and often found in our smaller 

 streams, is the MARSH PENNY- WORT, WATER-CUP, WHITE- 

 ROT (Hydrocotyle vulgaris) Fig. in " E. B.," 566 from the 

 Greek words udor, water, and cotule, a cup. The stems 

 are creeping, thread-shaped, and tender and smooth, running 

 on the ground, rooting at each joint, producing a tuft of 

 leaves and flowers. The leaf-stalks rise from two to four 

 inches ; leaves smooth, glossy, light-green, somewhat cup- 

 shaped, a little depressed, with a white dot in the centre. 

 Flowers May, June. Baxter says : " The whole plant is 

 acrid, and probably, like others of the umbelliferous tribe 

 growing in wet places, poisonous. 



This plant has received its English names of White-Rot, 

 Flukewort, Sheep-Killing Penny- Grass, Sheep's Bane, and 

 Penny-Rot from an old belief that feeding upon it causes 

 the liver-rot in sheep ; this opinion, which is altogether an 



