BEKBERIDACE^ — NYMPH^ACE^ 329 



3. PODOPHYLLUM. May Apple Mandrake. 



Smooth perennials from creepin;^ horizontal rootstocks, and thick, 

 flbrou.s roots: stems smooth, smpie, carrj'ing 'arge, peltate, glossy-green 

 leaves and a solitary white flower: sepals 6, petal-like, soon falling: petals 

 6-!), concave, broad and large: stamens as many or twice as many as petals: 

 pistil 1, with sessile, large, thick, stigma: fruit a large, fleshy, oval, 1-celled 

 berry, filled by many seeds, each seed enclosed in a pulpy aril, edible. 



P. peltEltum, Linn. Leaves 2, large, orbicular, peltate, deeply 5-9-lobed 

 and few toothed: flowers fragrant, solitary from the common axil of the two 

 stem leaves, borne on a short, recurved peduncle: petals, large, white, wax- 

 like: common in rich, shady, woodland, often in large patches. May, June. 

 (See tail-piece, p. 23.) 



XVII. NYMPH.EACE^. Water- Lily Family. 



Aquatic, perennial herbs, with very large rootstocks under water: 

 leaves large, peltate or heart-shaped, often floating: flowers solitary, 

 on axillary peduncles : sepals 3-5 or 6 : petals 5 to many : stamens 5 to 

 many, with large, erect anthers: carpels 3 to many, distinct, or united 

 in a circle or with the receptacle: fruit indehiscent, or group of 

 distinct carpels. Eight genera, of wide distribution in fresh water. 

 The great Victoria Regia of the Amazon, and often cultivated, belongs 

 here. 



A. Flowers white: sepals 4 1. JSymplupa 



AA. Flowers yellow: sepals 5 or more 2. Ktiphar 



1. NYMPHa;A. Water-Lilv. 



Herbs with floating leaves and beautiful, large, many-petaled flowers: 

 sepals 4, white within, green without: petals large, wax-like, gradually 

 becoming smaller, and passing into the yellow stamens which are adherent 

 to the many-celled ovary: stignuis radiate (as in a poppy head) from a 

 center: fruit ripens under water. 



N. odor^lta, Ait. White water-lily. Flower 2-6 in. across, very sweet- 

 scented: petals oftenest white, sometimes tinged with pinkish. Common. 



2. NtJPHAR. Yellow Pond-lily. 



Distinguished from the water-lily by the leaves, which are more or less 

 heart-shaped, floating or erect: also by the flowers, which are 2-3 in. in 

 diameter, with small, linear, yellow or purplish petals, becoming stamen-like 

 toward center: fruit ripens above water. The name Nymphsea is sometimes 

 applied to this genus, Castalia being then used for the Water-Lily. 



N. Advena, Ait. Spalterdock. Leaves oval, thick, 6 in. to 1 ft., long, 

 floating or erect: flowers yellow, sepals 6 or more, not equal: petals thick, 

 truncate, resembling stamens. 



