68 SPARGANIACEAE (jj UK- HEED FAMILY) 







1. TYPHA [Tourn.] L. CAT-TAIL FLAG 



Flowers in a long and very dense cylindrical spike terminating the stem ; 

 the upper part consisting of stamens only, inserted directly on the axis, and 

 intermixed with long hairs ; the lower part consisting of stipitate 1 -eel led ova- 

 ries, the stipes bearing club-shaped bristles, which form the copious down of 

 the fruit. Nutlets minute, very long-stalked. Spathes merely deciduous 

 bracts, or none. Rootstocks creeping. Leaves long, sheathing the base of 

 the simple jointless stems, erect, thickish. Flowering in summer. (Ti^Tj, the 

 old Greek name.) 



1. T. Iatif61ia L. (COMMON CAT-TAIL.) Stout and tall (1-2 in. high), the 

 flat sheathing leaves 6-23 mm. broad, exceeding the stem ; the staminate and 

 dark brown pistillate parts of the spike (each 8-15 cm. long or more) usually 

 contiguous, the latter at length 2.5 cm. in diameter; pistillate flowers without 

 bractlets ; stigma rhombic-lanceolate ; pollen-grains in fours. In marshes, 

 throughout temperate N. A. (Cosmop.) 



2. T. angustifblia L. Leaves narrower (6-12 mm. broad), somewhat con- 

 vex on the back ; pistillate and staminate parts of spike usually separate'' '>;/ <> 

 short interval, the fertile portion becoming 10-12 mm. in diameter; p<>//oi- 

 grains simple; pistillate flowers with a linear stigma and a hnii'-Uke lrftl<'t, 

 slightly dilated at the summit. S. Me. to N. C. and westw., less frequent than 

 the preceding, and mainly near the coast. (Eurasia, etc.) 



SPARGANIACEAE (BUR-REED FAMILY) 



Marsh or aquatic plants with alternate sessile linear 2-ranked leaves and 

 monoecious flowers in globular sessile or pedunculate heads. Upper heads bear- 

 ing sessile 3-androus naked flowers and minute scales irregularly interposed. 

 The lower heads consisting of numerous sessile or shortly pediceled pistillate 

 flowers with a calyx-like perianth of 3-6 linear or spatulate scales. Ovary 

 1-2-celled. Fruit obovoid or spindle-shaped, 1-2-seeded. 



1. SPARGANIUM [Tourn.] L. BUR-REED 



Heads scattered along the upper part of the simple or sparingly branched 

 leafy stem, the bracts caducous or the lower persisting and leaf-like. Perennials 

 with fibrous roots and creeping horizontal rootstocks. Flowering through the 

 summer. The fertile heads becoming bur-like from the divergent beaks, but 

 the pistils at maturity falling away separately. (Name ancient, probably from 

 <nrdpyavov t a band, in allusion to the ribbon-like leaves.) 



Fertile flowers closely sessile ; fruit broadly obovoid 1. S. t uri/cti rjntm. 



Fertile flowers shortly pedicellate ; fruit fusiform. 

 Beak of fruit long and slender ; stigma linear. 

 Pistillate heads strictly axillary. 



Mature fruits dull ; stigma 1-2 mm. lonp 2. S. <u,i, i-i,;n>nm. 



Mature fruits lustrous ; stigma 2.5-4 mm. lonp 3. S'. /</'<//////. 



One or more of the pistillate heads supra-;i\illary. 



Erect plants of muddy shores ; leaf-blades translucent and reticulated 4. S. <lir, rxit'olinut. 

 Distinctly aquatic ; leaves with long floating opaque blade-. 

 Achenes rather abruptly slender-beaked ; leat'-Mades 1.5-1 mm. 



broad; stiirma rarelv over !.'_' mm. loiitr 5. N. nmjiixti folium. 



Achenes gradually aeum'inate; leaf-blades 4-'.t mm. l.n.ad ; -tigma 



1.5-2 mm. long ',. .s. *;in/>/< .r. 



Beak of fruit stouter and falcate or short and conical or none ; stigma ovoid or ohloiig. 

 Fruiting heads 2 cm. in diatn. ; beak gladiatc-falcate . . . .7. S.jlnrfiiitux. 

 Fruiting heads 1 cm. in diam. 



I'.eak -hort, conical S. .s 1 . minimum. 



l.eak none, stigma sosilo '.'. N. /'.'//" //>/< >n. 



1. S. eurycarpumKngelin. Stems stout, erect <s l:!dm. high); leaves mostly 

 flat and merely keeled ; pistil attenuate into a short style hearing I or '2 elongated 

 stigmas; fruit heads 2-6 or more, 2-'J cm. in diameter; fruit angled, often 



