386 WATER-CRESS. 



white slender fibres. The stems are thick, fistular, glabrous, 

 cylindrical, branched, rooting, and attain the height of eight or 

 twelve inches or more. The leaves are alternate, pinnate, con- 

 sisting of two or three pair of distant leaflets, and an odd one ; 

 the lower ones large, ovate, and somewhat cordate, the terminal 

 leaflet larger and rounder than the rest ; the cauline ones sub- 

 ovate ; they are all glabrous, rather succulent, and more or 

 less lobed and toothed. The flowers are disposed in short 

 somewhat corymbose racemes, elongating as the fruit ripens ; 

 the pedicels filiform, without bracteae. The calyx consists 

 of four glabrous, ovate, deciduous, rather spreading sepals. 

 The corolla is cruciform, of four rounded, spreading, white 

 petals, twice as large as the calyx. The stamens are tetradyna- 

 mous, with subulate white filaments, having four glands at the 

 base, and are terminated by simple two-celled anthers. The 

 germen is elongated, cylindrical, with a very short style, and 

 an obtuse capitate stigma. The fruit is a pod or silique, about 

 an inch in length, slightly compressed and curved, pedicellate, 

 spreading, or somewhat declined, divided into two cells, sepa- 

 rated by a partition, opening by two concave revolute valves, 

 and containing several small rounded seeds arranged irregularly 

 in two series. Plate 46, fig. 3, (a) entire flower, magnified ; 

 (b) stamens and pistil ; (c) silique or pod. 



Few plants are more frequent than this in the brooks, rivulets, 

 and stagnant waters of Great Britain. It is likewise found in 

 almost all other parts of the world. It flowers in June and 

 July. 



The generic name is derived from nasus tortus, a convulsed 

 nose, in allusion to the acrid and pungent effects of the juice of 

 the plant. Bauhin and Sprengel consider the Nasturtium offi- 

 cinale, the aiavpfitfiov sTBpov of Dioscorides ; which others refer to 

 the Lady's Smock (Cardamine pratensis). 



The genus Nasturtium, formerly included in Sisymbrium, 

 contains three other species indigenous to Britain ; the most 

 common is the Amphibious Nasturtium, (N. amphibium,) distin- 

 guished by its oblong, pinnatifid or serrated leaves ; branched 

 stem two or three feet in height, and small, turgid, erect, 

 spreading pods. They are all very distinct from the Water- 

 cress in habit, and have yellow flowers. 



General Uses.— Water-cress is well known as an agreeable and 



