ILLUSTRATIONS, 131 



OJEU3, and after him Kalm, calls it zizauia aquatica. M. Desibntaiues, in his 

 Tableau de L' Ecole de Botanique du Museum D'Histoire Naturalle, thus 

 mentions it, quoting Linnaeus for his authority, zizania aquatica grows in the 

 northern parts of America, is an annual plant, and is alimentary. Michau x, in 

 his Flora Boreali Americana, makes three species. 



> growing in the watery parts of North America. 



2. Clavulosa, ) 



3. Fluitans at Lake Champlain. 



Of the second he says, this is the zizania of Gronovius, which Linnaeus has 

 improperly arranged with the Sloanina. 



Persoon, in his Synopsis Plantarum, designates, besides those enumerated by 

 Michaux, 



Aquatica, } varieties, the first growing in Jamaica, under water, and the 



Palustris, J latter in the waters of North America. 



And Terrestris on dry land. 



Muhlenberg, in his Catalogue of the Native and Naturalized Plants of North 

 America, enumerates four species of zizania, or american rice. 



1. Miliacea millet. 



2. Clavulosa an annual plant, vulgarly called wild rice, or oats, grows in 

 Pennsylvania, flowers in September. 



3. Palustris 1 marsh ; risave Canada. 



4. Fluitans floating. 



Dr. Barton considers the zizania clavulosa of Michaux, as the zizania aqua 

 tica of Liumt'us, and says, that it grows and ripens its seed as far north in 

 America, as the latitude of 50 degrees ; and that the zizania milacea of Mi- 

 chaux, is a very distinct species, and that both of the species are eaten by the 

 inuiau-j of the countries adjacent to the lakes. Amidst such a number of clash- 

 ing authorities, it would not become me to offer an opinion. It is possible, 

 however, that the *izania of Lake Charaplain, is only a variety of the folle 

 avoine; and it is, probably, a distinct species from the zizania of Pennsylvania 

 Providence appears to have intended this northern rice as a substitute for the 

 rice of southern climates. Its produce is abundant ; its alimentary qualities are 

 undoubted j and the time may arrive, when the zizaoia aquatica of the north 

 shall, under the hand of cultivation, attain to as high perfection, and contribute 

 as much to tho subsistence of the human race ; as the oryza saliva of the south. 



