ORDER 133. TYPHACE.&. 671 



thick, and convex below. Root undivided, sheathed at the end. Flowers mi- 

 nute from a cleft in the margin of the fronds, near the base. Jn. Sept. 



3 L. perpusilla Torn SMALLEST DUCK-MEAT. Fronds obovate, thin; rt soli- 

 tary; seed erect. Ponds on Staten Island. Fronds 1" or more long, grouped 

 or single, bright green. Stamens with filiform filaments, maturing in succession. 

 Ovary obliquely acuminate, with a short style. Sd. striate, erect in the ovary. 

 Aug. (Torrey). 



4 L. gibba L. Fronds obovate, hemispherical beneath, nearly plain above ; root 

 solitary. Floating on the surface of stagnant waters, N. York. Fronds about a 

 line in length, pellucid and reticulated beneath. Filaments recurved as in the 

 other species. Fruit roundish, indehiscent, 1 to 7 -seeded. Jn., Jl. 



5 L. polyrhiza L. Fronds broad-ovate, a little convex beneath, rts. numerous. 

 Floating in stagnant waters. Fronds resembling flax-seed, but larger (2 to 4 ' 

 long), scattered on the surface of the water, of a firm, but succulent texture, be- 

 coming purplish. Ets. in thick bundles of 8 to 10 black fibers from the under 

 surface of the fronds. All these species are eaten by ducks and other aquatic 

 birds. Jn. Sept. 



2. PIS'TIA, L. (Gr. marbg, drinking.) Spatho tubular at base, 

 connate with the spadix, limb open, ligulate, cucullate above ; $ anth- 

 ers 3 to 8, adnate to the thick summit of the spadix, subglobous, open- 

 ing transversely ; $ ovary 1, at the base of the spadix, 1-celled, oo- 

 ovuled, becoming a berry in fruit. Floating herbs, consisting of rosulate 

 tufts of little, veined, entire Ivs., sending out filiform stolons. Spadix 

 axillary, on a short scape. 



P. Strati otes L. Lvs. roundish-obcordate, margin undulate, veins lamelliform, 

 confluent into a truncate area at base. ^In the var. SPATHULATA (P. spathulata 

 MX.) the leaves are rather obovate than obcordate, and abruptly contracted into 

 a short petiole. (D S. Car. to Fla. and La. (Curtis), in stagnant waters. Spathe 

 white. May. 



ORDER CXXXIII. TYPHACEJ3. TYPHADS. 



Herbs growing in marshes and ditches, with rigid, ensiform, sessile leaves. 

 Flowers monoecious, arranged on a spadix or in heads, with no spathe. Perianth 

 of a few scales, or a tuft of hairs, or 0. Stamens 1 to 4, with long, slender fila- 

 ments. Ovary with 1 pendulous ovule. Seed albuminous, with an axial embryo. 

 Fig. 457. 



Genera 2, species 13, -widely distributed throughout the world. 



I. TYTHA. L. (Gr. rv<po$, a marsh ; where all the species grow.) 

 Spadix of flowers long, cylindric, dense ; $ stamens about 3 together, 

 united into a common filament ; $ flowers below the sterile ; ovary 

 pedicellate, surrounded at base by a hair-like pappus. Root 2. Spa- 

 dix terminal, the upper staminate, the lower pistillate. Fls. very 

 numerous. 



T. latifdlia (nnd angustifolia Linn.) CAT-TAIL. REED MACE. Lvs. ensiform, 

 concave within near the base ; sterile and fertile spikes close together, or a little 

 remote. A common, smooth, tall inhabitant of the water, in muddy pools and 

 ditches, U. S., Can. Stem 3 to 5f, round and smooth, leafy below. Spikes termi- 

 nal, 6 to 10', brown, composed of slender, downy flowers, packed solid. The up- 

 per portion is slender, composed of the sterile flowers. Leaves somewhat sword- 

 shaped, erect, 2 4f and nearly 1' wide. They are called flags, and useful for 

 weaving the seats of chairs, &c. July. 



(3. ANGUSTIFOLIA. Sterile and fertile spikes a little remote (\ 2'). Found in 

 the same situations with the former. A well marked varietj', but differing 

 only in the more slender habit, and less complete development of its parts. 



