SPARGA NJA CEA E. 39 



Spikes dark brown or black, the pistillate and staminate usually contiguous, the former 

 without bractlets; stigmas spatulate or rhomboid; pollen 4-grained. 



i. 7\ latifolia. 



Spikes light brown, the pistillate and staminate usually distant, the former with bract- 

 lets ; stigmas linear ; pollen in simple grains. 2. 7\ angustifolia. 



1. Typha latifolia L. BROAD-LEAVED CAT-TAIL. (I. F. f. 136.) Stems 

 stout, 1-2.7 m. high. Leaves 6-25 mm. broad; spikes dark brown or black, the 

 staminate and pistillate portions usually contiguous, each 7. 5-30 cm. long and often 

 2 cm. or more in diameter, the pistillate without bractlets; stigmas rhomboid or 

 spatulate; pollen-grains in 4's ; fruit furrowed, bursting in water ; seeds with a 

 separable outer coat. In marshes, throughout N. Am., except the extreme north. 

 Also in Europe and Asia. June-July. Fruit, Aug.-Sept. 



2. Typha angustifolia L. NARROW-LEAVED CAT-TAIL. (I. F. f. 137.) 

 Stems slender, 1.5-3.5 m. high. Leaves mostly narrower than those of the pre- 

 ceding species, 4-12 mm. wide; spikes light brown, the staminate and pistillate 

 portions usually distant, the two together sometimes 0.5 m. long, the pistillate, 

 when mature, 6-16 mm. in diameter, and provided with bractlets; stigmas linear 

 or linear-oblong; pollen-grains simple; fruit not furrowed, not bursting in water; 

 outer coat of the seed not separable. Abundant in marshes along the Atlantic 

 Coast from N. S. to Fla. and Cuba, but also occurring rather rarely inland. Also 

 in Europe and Asia. June-July. Fruit, Aug.-Sept. 



Family 2. SPARGANIACEAE Agardh. 1858. 

 Bur -reed Family * 



Marsh or pond plants with creeping rootstocks and fibrous roots, 

 erect or floating simple or branched stems, and linear alternate leaves, 

 sheathing at the base. Flowers monoecious, densely crowded in globose 

 heads at the upper part of the stem and branches, the staminate heads 

 uppermost, sessile or peduncled. Spathes linear, immediately beneath 

 or at a distance below the head. Perianth of a few irregular chaffy 

 scales. Stamens commonly 5, their filaments distinct ; anthers oblong 

 or cuneate. Ovary sessile, mostly i -celled. Ovules anatropous. Fruit 

 mostly i-celled, nutlike. Embryo nearly straight, in copious endo- 

 sperm. The family comprises only the following genus : 



i. SPARGANIUM L. (See Appendix.) 



Characters of the family. [Greek, referring to the ribbon-like leaves.] 

 About 10 species, of temperate and cold regions. Besides the following, one 

 occurs in Cal. 



Fruit sessile. i. S. eurycarpum. 



Fruit stalked. 



Inflorescence branching. 2. S. androcladum. 



Inflorescence simple. 



Staminate heads 4-6, pistillate 2-6, 10-16 mm. in diameter. 3. S. simplex. 



Staminate heads 1-2, pistillate 13, 4-10 mm. in diameter. 4. S. minimum. 



1. Sparganium eurycarpum Engelm. BROAD-FRUITED BUR-REED. (I. F. f. 

 138.) Stems stout, 1-2.8 m. high, branching. Leaves flat, slightly keeled be- 

 neath, the lowest 1-2 m. long; staminate heads numerous; pistillate heads 2-4 on 

 the stem or branch, sessile or peduncled, hard, compact and 2-3 cm. in diameter 

 when mature; style I; stigmas 1-2; nutlets 6-io mm. long, obtusely 4-5-angled, 

 narrowed at the base, the top rounded, flattened or depressed, abruptly tipped 

 with the style; scales as long or nearly as long as the fruit and as many as its 

 angles, often with 2 or 3 other exterior ones, somewhat spatulate, the apex 

 roundea, denticulate or eroded In marshes and along streams, Newf. to Br, 

 Col., south to Va., Mo., Utah and Cal. 



2. Sparganium androcladum (Engelm.) Morong. BRANCHING BUR-REED. 

 (1. F. f. 139,) Stem slender, more or less branching, 2.5-6 cm. high. Pistillate 



* Contributed by the late Rev. THOMAS MORONG. 



