AND THEIR INHABITANTS. 233 



not know whether they possess any aromatic flavour 

 or stimulating quality analogous to the theine of 

 coffee. 



The Water Plantain, Alisma Plantago, with its 

 beautiful sprays of pink flowers ; the Arrow-head, 

 Sagittaria sagittifolia, an allied plant, distinguished 

 by its leaves of an arrow-head form, and the flowering 

 rush, Butomus umbellatus, which has somewhat the 

 aspect of an umbelliferous plant, in having its flowers 

 on separate stalks, coming out at the head of a main 

 stem. The flowering rush is a gem amongst British 

 water-plants. It is distinguished by its narrow grass- 

 like leaves, and by its circular stem, which carries 

 a large bunch of flowers at the top, beautiful by 

 their bright pink colour and large size. The pistils 

 are six in number and very conspicuous. It is 

 subject to considerable variety in the colouring of 

 the flowers, which range from the characteristic 

 bright pink to white, and even purple. The plant is 

 in bloom from June to September. It is widely 

 distributed, being found alike in Italy, England, and 

 Lapland. Water is everywhere necessary to its exist- 

 ence, and its mode of growth is recognised in the 

 text, "Can the rush grow up without mire? Can 

 the flag grow without water ? " Job viii. 1 1. The first 

 specimen I ever gathered of this plant was at Lewes, 

 and the pleasure it gave me will never be forgotten. 

 I had for seven previous years looked in vain for 

 it. 



Often in my study of the Linnaean system of 

 botany I had wished for an example of the class 

 Eneandria, containing nine stamens, but of which I 



