THE SPIDERWORT FAMILY. 41 



and very slender, elongated leaves, occurs in dry woods from Texas and 

 Florida to Maryland. Its thread-like pedicels are mostly erect, even when 

 in bud. Another noticeable feature is the umbel's long peduncle which is 

 subtended by a dry looking bract. 



T. Vi?-giniana, spiderwort, has again a sessile umbel which is subtended 

 by long, leaf-like bracts. Often the pedicels of the large, showy tlcnvers are 

 covered with i)ubescence wliile at times they are found to be glabrous. The 

 plant grows in moist soil from Kentucky to New York, and has long been a 

 favourite in cultivation. 



T. rt'flcxa only erects the smooth pedicels of its umbels when the flowers 

 are in bloom. Its leaves are very long, glaucous and grass-like. Through 

 the south it grows and is sometimes in blow as early as May. 



THE PICKEREL=WEED FAMILY. 



Pontedcriaccce. 



Inchidi7ig in our species mater plants with blue^ in'egular and perfect 

 flow:rs grcuoini^ either solitary or in a spike subtended by a leaf-like 

 spat he J anil having pet ioled leaves which are paralleled veined. 



PICKEREL=WEED. 



Pontederla cor data. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Pic/vfrcl-u'ccd. PitrpliJi blue. Unpleasant. Texas and Florida J unc-OLtobcr. 



northward. 



Ftoiiwrs : growing closely in a terminal spike; the pubescent peduncle with a 

 bract-like, green spathe at its base. Pcriantli : labiate, the upper lip, three lobed 

 and marked with yellow, the lower one with three linear, sjjreading lobes. Stamens : 

 six, the lower ones in the tube of the perianth ; the tiiree upper ones shorter and 

 often imperfect. Pistil : one. Leaves : cordate, or hroadlv sagittate, blunt at the 

 apex, deeply cordate at the base or projected into two rounded lobes, the petioles 

 sheathing the stem ; entire ; wavy on the margins; smootlu Stem : stout ; erect; 

 : rising one to two feet above tiie water. 



When a glimmer from this gay plant attracts the eye there is something 

 very pleasing in its erect spike of rakish-looking flowers. Yery placidly its 

 colour appears to blend with the silvery sheen of the water above which it 

 arises, and especially is this noticeable in the late summer when often the 

 flowers form so striking a contrast to the brilliant cardinal flowers blooming 

 by the water's edge and the glow from the masses of yellow ones not far 

 distant. Many of these plants are usually seen together, so a pageant of 

 bloom continues for a considerable time. The individuals, however, be- 



