WATER OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 435 



Carrot family (UmbelliferDs), attaining a heiglit of 2 to 3 feet, 

 having compound much- divided leaves. It grows in ditches 

 and watery places. It has thick parsnip-like roots, hut differs 

 from the parsnijo in forming a cluster of these roots from the 

 same crown. They are poisonous in the higliest degree. The 

 smell and flavour being like parsnips has led them to be mis- 

 taken for that root, and many fatal cases have occuri'ed. A few 

 years ago a band of convicts working on the embankments at 

 Woolwich dug up a quantity of the roots, of whicli seventeen 

 ate, all of whom became seriously ill, and four died ; cattle have 

 also died from eating the roots when thrown out of ditches. 

 Water Hemlock. {See Cowbane.) 

 Water Lemon. (See Granadilla.) 



Water Lettuce, or Tropical Duckweed, a name in the 

 West Indies for Pistia strcUiotcs, a floating plant growing on 

 stagnant waters in the tropics ; the plant grows in the form of 

 a rosette, consisting of somewhat spongy wedge-shaped leaves 

 which form an open cup ; its flowers are small and produced 

 from a sheath at the back of the leaves, the whole being of a 

 yellowish colour ; it increases rapidly by sarmenta, quickly 

 covering a large surface of water. In the West Indies it is 

 considered to produce malaria. 



Water Lily, White {Nymplum alha), Yellow {Nuplw.r 

 luted), plants of the Water Lily family (Xympbreace^e), natives 

 of this country and common throughout Europe. Nuphar 

 advena is a native of North America ; its seed-pods (so called) 

 are an important article of food to the Indians, who collect them 

 in large quantities and keep them for winter use. Nymp]ia:a 

 cccridecc, JV. rubra, A. clentcUa, N. gi/jetntcct, and others, are culti- 

 vated in the gardens of this country, being well known for their 

 beautiful flowers ; also A. tJiermcdis, a white flowering species 

 found in Hungary, whicli appears to be the same as the A! Lotus 

 of the Nile. It is common in India, where it is held sacred ; 

 likewise in Egypt, where it is found rudely sculptured on the 

 ancient idols (see Lotos). 



Water Melon {Citrullus mdgaris, generally known as Cucu- 



