ORDER TYPHACEJE, OR BULLRUSH TRIE 551 



in Japan, on account of the perfume of its staminiferous flowers, 

 which is said to be one of the richest known. The fruit is eat- 

 able ; and the various parts of the tree are used, in the countries 

 where it abounds, for the same purposes as those to which the 

 Palms are applied. 



727. Nearly allied to the Pandaneae in regard to its organs 

 of fructification, though very different in aspect and habit, is the 

 order TYPHACE^, the Bullrush tribe. These are for the most 

 part low herbaceous plants, growing in marshy places in tem- 

 perate climates. The common Bullrush, however, of this country, 

 is not well adapted for the examination of the flowering system, 

 as this is so extremely small as not to be readily distinguished. 

 A better illustration is the Bur-reed (Sparganium) some species 

 of which may be found in most parts of the country, growing in 

 ditches or pools, or by the banks of rivers. One of the most 

 common is the Sparganium ramosum, or Branching Bur-reed, 

 which rises to the height of two or even three feet, and branches 

 from the very ground. Its leaves (or bracts) are narrow, and 

 shaped like a short straight sword-blade, sheathing the flower- 

 stem at their lower part. At the extremities of the branches 

 appear round balls of flowers, some of which are bright green, 

 others bright yellow ; the latter are most numerous, and are 

 placed above the others. The former consists of pistilliferous, 

 the latter of staminiferous flowers. Such an arrangement is 

 almost universal, when the two sets of organs are disposed in 

 different flowers on the same plant ; the evident purpose being, 

 that the pollen, when set free from the anthers, shall fall naturally 

 on the pistils. If we open one of the yellow balls, we shall find 

 that it consists of a cluster of separate flowers, each having a 

 calyx composed of three long-stalked narrow sepals, surrounding 

 six stamens, the anthers of which droop, in consequence of their 

 weight being greater than the filaments can well support. In the 

 pistilline flowers, the sepals are broader and shorter, being rolled 

 round the pistil, and seated close upon the receptacle, without 

 any stalk. The ovarium is one-celled, and contains but a single 

 ovule, which hangs from its summit. It is surmounted by a 

 stigma, which is partially cleft into two. Other plants of the 



