8 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



blossoms are longer than the leaves, often three to four 

 feet high, and are entirely leafless. 



The botanical name of the flowering-rush is the Butomus 

 umbellatus, a name bestowed on the plant by Linnaus, and 

 which it has borne ever since. The plant, unlike many 

 that have come before us, is very distinctive, and could not 

 possibly, when in blossom, be mistaken for anything else ; 

 and it is also very constant in itself, and does not vary from 

 the well- recognised type-form; there has, therefore, been 

 no question of species or sub-species arising to affect the 

 original name. The specific name clearly refers to its 

 umbellate inflorescence, while the generic name is com- 

 pounded of two Greek words signifying "ox," and "to 

 cut," because its sharp-edged leaves offer so little tempta- 

 tion to cattle to meddle with them, when the heat -of 

 summer has driven the herd to stand in the cool stream 

 beneath some far-spreading tree. 



