110 BU'TOMUS UMBELLA'TUS EXAMINED. 



EDWARD. 

 But these flowers have no calyx. 



MOTHER. 



It is true that each flower has not a separate 

 calyx; but if you look at the top of the stem, from 

 which the flower-stalks grow, something in the 

 manner of an umbelliferous plant, you will perceive 

 three sharp-pointed brownish leaves, that form a 

 sort of a general calyx to the umbel or set of 

 flowers : this is called an Involu'crum. " The 

 " blossom is round, hollowed out like a bowl, and 

 " composed of six petals ; three of them smaller 

 " than the rest, and standing alternately on the 

 " outside between the others. There are nine 

 " stamens, the filaments are awl-shaped, and the 

 " anthers composed of two flat pieces laid close 

 " together; and six pistils, each consisting of a 

 " germen, which gradually passes into a style, 

 " with a summit slightly notched." 



In the next genus of Withering, Hydrocha'ris*, 

 the stamens and pistils are in the flowers of differ- 

 ent plants : so that Bu'tomus must be our genus ; 

 of which there is but one species known, called 

 Umbella'tus, from the resemblance of its sets of 

 flowers to an umbel. The English name is Flower- 



* Class and order Dicecia Enneandria, of Linnaeus. 



