HARPER'S GUIDE TO WILD FLOWERS 



S. eurycarpum is a stout and tall species, with characteristics 

 similar to the last, growing along the shores of rivers and streams 

 near the sea-level. 



S. minimum is slender and low, with grass-like leaves floating 

 on the water near the bank, where it is shallow. As far south 

 as Pennsylvania. 



Arrow-head 



Sagittaria latifolia. (Sagitta, an arrow, from the shape of the 

 leaves.) — Family, Water Plantain. Flowers in whorls of 2 or 3 

 about the leafless scape. The upper whorls are staminate, with 3 

 large, rounded white petals and numerous stamens. The lower 

 one or two whorls are of smaller, inconspicuous, and fertile flowers, 

 with 3 sepals. Leaves, on long petioles, strongly arrow-shaped^ 

 with deep, pointed lobes. Stems, smooth, with milky juice. 



A familiar plant, noticeable quite as much for its hand- 

 some, dark-green, arrow-shaped leaves as for its pretty spike 

 of broad, white blossoms. Sometimes it grows entirely in 

 water. More often it stands upon the wet banks of slowly 

 moving streams. There are many species and varieties of 

 Sagittaria, marked by variability of leaves, some of which 

 lose the arrow-shape and become long and narrow. (See 

 illustration, p. 41.) 



Water Plantain 



Alisma Plantago-aquatica. — Family, Water Plantain. Flowers, 

 small, in a compound, spreading panicle much higher than the 

 leaves. Color, white, sometimes light pink. Stamens and pistils 

 in different flowers. Petals, 3, white. Sepals, 3, with white 

 margins. Stamens, 6. Pistils, several, in fruit forming a ring. 

 Leaves, all from the root, resembling common plantain leaves, 

 broad, with long petioles, smooth, many-veined, often heart- 

 shaped at base, sheathing. Roots, fibrous, 6 inches to 2 feet high. 

 July to September. Common in shallow water. 



A plant growing sometimes in water, more often in mud 

 on banks, and especially in the soft, boggy ground made by 

 cows in their passing to and from water. (See illustration, 

 P- 43-) 



Water-weed. Dutch Moss 



Elodea canadensis, — Family, Frog's Bit. Flowers, of two kinds. 

 Staminate very small, with 3 sepals, with or without 3 inner petal- 

 like divisions of the perianth. Stamens, 3 to 9. Stigmas, 3. Pis- 

 tillate flowers seldom seen. Leaves, opposite, whorled, or clus- 



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