2316 NYMPHOIDES 



hanliost of American species; its mottled variegatwl 

 k^"s, about 2 mchos broa.l, arc very at tract. vo regard- 

 less of its d^iintv, wiulc immature ll.nvcrs U i^ I cbt 

 cn^vvni uiuler natural conditions, in pools and still watei, 

 Kl water about 2 f.-t deep. It may -1- ^e ^cn™ » 

 tubs, as a surface covering, with a few tall I -^t* n 

 the center. -V. aqualicum. commonly kiKn\-n as the tauy 

 wat^-lilv. is a much stronger grower: leaves deep 

 creon, and. when grown in natural ponds, attain large 

 pR>portions, 4 to inches broad, ami bears mniimerable 

 Eo«Vrs, more like flakes of snow, t is also yaluablc for 

 tub culture, similar to the preceding species A' mdi- 

 cwn commonly called water snowflake, is undoubl- 



^: 





;*?■ 



2558. Nyssa sylvatica. ( X H) 



edlv the most interesting and attractive of any, and 

 de^^^•ing of most general cultivation. The leaves are ot 

 a light green color, heart-shaped, and it produces flowers 

 in greater abundance, which are much larger and 

 covered completely ^-ith hirsute glands. These, as m 

 the other species, are produced m clusters on ttie 

 petioles, near the surface, and, although they are ot 

 Ut one dav's duration, they are produced m such 

 quantities that there is never any lack of these delicate 

 flowers all through the season. In tub culture this 

 species will soon crowd itself over the edge of an ordinary 

 tub, and, although the leaves no longer float on the 

 surface, it does not affect the growth or the prohferous- 

 ness of its flowering. When grown in tubs, the recepta- 

 cle should be filled two-thirds with moderately rich 

 loamv soil, covered with sand, and filled and kept failed 

 with "water. Mi three species, when strong enough to 

 produce flowering leaves or petioles, send forth new 

 shoots, as each cluster of flowers apparently tennmates 

 with a bud and produces leaves; these, when strong, 

 produce flower-buds and leaf-buds again, and thus 

 soon reproduce themselves. A^. aqmticum produces a 

 cluster of fleshy roots, with a bud from single leaves in 

 fall which are plentiful in Florida in the season. Ihese 

 are excellent for distribution, and can be sent safely a 

 great distance. The petioles are very brittle and easily 

 snap off, but the floating leaf soon emits roots at the 

 broken end as well as where the flower-buds are located; 

 thus it is verv free and iiroliferous. These are very 

 desirable aquatic plants. The fourth species, Af. pct- 

 lalum, is a rampant, weedy plant, although its mot- 

 tled foliage is beautiful and the flower is much larger 

 than those of the above plants. Its habit of growth is 

 also different, it produces runners, and rambl(« over an 

 immeasc space; it also produces seed in great quantity, 

 which, when ripe, floats on the surface for a short time, 

 then sinks to the bottom; it is be,st confined to the limits 

 of a tub, where it grows freely and produces its large 

 yellow flowers in profusion. It is hard to eradicate when 

 once cstabii.shed, as, it is perfectly hardy. All the 

 floating-hearts are very pretty and useful for tub cul- 

 ture, but after knowing the water-lilics the general 

 public desires more bold and striking i>laiits. (Wm. 

 Tricker ) 



NYSSA 



A. Color offls. iidkiw. 

 n. Fls. accompanied by clmters of tubers. 

 lacunosum, Kuntze {Umndnthemuin lacunbsum, 

 Griseb. YiMrsia lacimoM, Vent.). Sts. sometimes 

 10 ft long: Ivs. orbicular-cordate, purphsh beneath, 

 1-2 in long: fls. 3-(3 lines across; segms. ovate, acute: 

 seeds smooth. July, Aug. Ponds, Nova Scotia to 

 Fla. and La., west to Minn. 



BB. Fls. ml accompanied by clusters of tubers. 

 peltatum, Brit. & Rend. (A^. nympfueMes, Brit. 

 IMnmwtlu'num nympha-oldes, HotTni. & Link Menyan- 

 thes ntnnplueuidcs, Linn.). Plant stout and branching. 

 Ivs 2-4 in. broail: fls. 1 in. across or more; segms. obcor- 

 date, short-fringed. May-July Eu. Asia; naturalized 

 in District of Columbia.— Simulates Limnochans Hum- 

 boldlii in habit. 



AA. Color ofjls. white {varying to yellow in the last). 



B. Seeds rough. 

 aquaticum, Kuntze (L. trachyspermum, Gray. Vil- 

 Idr^a aqudtica, Gmel.). Stouter and larger than iV 

 lacunosum: Ivs. cordate orbicular, thick entire or 

 repand, 2-6 in. long, spongy: tubers thick: fls. 6-10 

 lines broad. April-July. N. J. to Fla. and Texas. 

 BE. Seeds smooth. 

 indicum, Kuntze (L. indicum, Thwaites Meny- 

 dnlhcsindica,hmn.). Water Snowflake. Jls white, 

 yellow toward the base withm; segms. fimbriated, 

 densely papillose, without a longitudinal fold down the 

 middle. Tropics. Gn.M 4:182.-There is said to be a 

 rich yellow variety. Wilhelm Miller. 



L. H. B.t 

 irtSSA (name of a water nymph; these trees grow 

 in swamps). Nyssaces; formerly included in Cornacex. 

 Tupelo. Pepperidge. Sour Gum. Ornamental trees 

 planted chiefly for their handsome fohage and brilliant 

 autumnal tints. . , , ,• _ i„ 



Deciduous: Ivs. alternate, petioled, entire or rarely 

 remotely toothed, stipulate: fls. polygamo-dioecious, 

 minute, greenish white, in slender peduncled clusters, 

 the staminate fls. slender-pedicelled in many-fld. 

 clusters; calyx cup-shaped, .5-toothed; petals 5, unbri- 

 cate, inserted on the margin of the conspicuous disk, 

 stamens 5, exserted; ovary 0; iMstiUate fls. sessile 1 or 2, 

 or in few-fld. clusters; calyx-tube campanulate, S- 

 toothed, petals small; stamens 5-10, short, anthers otten 

 sterile; ovary 1-2-celled; style slender, recurved: fr an 

 oblong drupe, usually l-seecled,.with a bo^X- "dged 

 or winged stone.— Five species in N. Amer. and 2 in 



The tupelos are bold and picturesque trees with 

 medium-sized or rather large, generally obovate or 

 oblong lustrous leaves, insignificant greemsh white 

 flowers in slender-stalked clusters or solitary, and con- 

 spicuous, blue, red or purple oblong solitary or paired 

 fruits They are chiefly valued for the flaming scarlet 

 of their autumn foliage and for the distinctness o their 

 winter aspect. A^. sylvatica is hardy North, while the 

 other species are tenderer. They grow m swamps ani 

 are usually 40 to 60 feet high, attaining a maximum of 

 100 feet. Old specimens often h.ave a melancholy- 

 appearance by reason of the drooping habit of the lower 

 limbs The upper branches of a tupclo are often twiggy, 

 crooked or "kinky." Tupelos are hard to transplant 

 from the wild, even when heavily pruned because they 

 have remarkably long roots with f<=w rootlets. Nursery- 

 grown trees that have been frequently transplanted are 

 preferable. Propagation is by seeds sown at once or 

 stratified; if allowed to become dry, they do not germi- 

 rate until the second year; sometimes increased by 

 layers which, however, root slowly. 



sylvatica, Marsh, (A', midliflbra, Wang.) Tupelo. 



Pki-pkiui.ce. Black Gum. Souu Gum. Figs. 25.)S, 



