MARSH LAND AND OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS 



615 



IN THE HEART OF A MARYLAND SWAMP 

 It is in the water and deep mud of such a place as is here shown that our 

 Broad-leaved Arrow-head flourishes in all its glory; it is associated with 

 Cat-tails, Monkey-tlowers, Pink Milkweed, Cone-flower, Bind-weed, Com- 

 mon Do<lder, and many other marsh and aquatic plants. 



along the sluggish streams and in standing water gener- 

 ally, the very abundant cow lily or Yellow Water Lily, of 

 which a cut is likewise given. The specimen shown, 

 however, was collected at Warwick, Virginia, where the 

 plant is very abundant along the shores of the Potomac 

 River. It grows in dense masses, filling up extensive 

 inlets and marshes connected with the stream ; it is as- 

 sociated with species of arum and other aquatic plants. 

 Chester A. Reed, in his very useful little "Flower-Guide," 

 says of it that it "is not unattractive, and is interesting 

 in its makeup. The leaves are thick, rough, ovate, slit 

 or lobed to the stem, which is long and hollow. The 

 flower is raised above the surface of the water on a long 

 hollow stem. What a])pears to be six large greet! and 

 yellow petals, are in reality sepals ; the real petals are 

 numerous, stamen-like, inserted with the very numerous 

 stamens under the golden-yellow rayed disk that forms 

 the stigma." (P. 66.) Some people call them "frog-lilies" 

 because they flourish best in big ponds with muddy bot- 

 toms. Our English friends have named them "brandy- 

 bottles ;" but for what reason it would be hard to say, 

 as there seems to be nothing in their odor, their general 

 appearance, or in the form of their fruit that would sug- 

 gest such an object as a bottle especially a brandy bot- 

 tle. The country folk in England say, when they smell 

 this lily they are reminded of the odor of an empty 



brandy bottle that originally contained that liquor. 

 Strange notions some people have ! In any event, the 

 odor is not a very pleasant one ; but this may be forgiven 

 for the sake of the memory of the many boating-trips 

 on the ponds which it revives. 



In the yellow pond lily cross-fertilization is effected, 

 as in so many other plants, through the agency of in- 

 sects, they being attracted by the highly colored sepals. 

 Some small beetles (Donacia), and various species of 

 bees and flies are also attracted to these flowers, and as- 

 sist in the perpetuation of the species. Besides A^. ad- 

 vcna, the one here being described. Gray gives two other 

 forms of the plant, namely /. niicrophylla and A^. sagitti- 

 folio, with a questionable hybrid, A'^. rubrodisca, all be- 

 ing found in the eastern part of the United States. 



In their usual poetic vein, Ellen Miller and Margaret 



THE GREEN SPATHES OF THE ARROW ARUM 

 This very abundant and stately plant flourishes in swamps, ponds, and 

 along the hanks of slow-running rivers all over the eastern ^art of the 

 United States. Many know it as the Green Arrow Arum {Peltandra 

 virginica) , its dark green, glossy leaves heing of enormous size, the plant 

 itself often attaining a height of upwards of five feet or more. Sometimes 

 they occur in masses of several acres, antl are generally rooted in soft, 

 deep mud, some of the shorter plants occasionally growing on the adjacent 

 dry short line; they are then less luxuriant. 



