38 PLANTS GROWING IN WATER. 



staminate members apart. The pistillate ones also deck them- 

 selves in very seemly little petals that fall early and do not vie 

 in comeliness with those of the staminate blossoms. It hardly 

 seems possible that one of these little under-flowers would ever 

 have the courage to call out boldly : Joseph, thou art keeping 

 the sunshine from falling upon my head. 



S. lancifblia is the arrow-head that grows southward from 

 Virginia. Its lower whorls of flowers are better developed 

 than those of its northern sisters, and the plant is, therefore, 

 more showy and beautiful. 



WATER.PLANTAIN. {Plate X.) 



Alisma Plantago-aqudtica. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Water-plantain, Rose white. Scentless. General. Late summer. 



Flowers: small; numerous; whorled in compound panicles. Calyx: of 

 three persistent sepals. Corolla: of three deciduous or falling petals. Sla- 

 mens : four to six. Pistils : numerous. Leaves : from the base ; on long 

 petioles ; rather lanceolate ; ribbed ; closely resembling those of the door-yard 

 plantain. ScaJ>e : varying greatly in height. 



One would at once discover the kinship between the water 

 plaintain and the arrow-head, although the latter is a much more 

 pleasing flower. But, if plain, our little plant is generous. It 

 distributes itself very widely, and its corm-like tubers are said 

 to be greatly enjoyed as an article of food by the Kalmucks. 



AMPHIBIOUS KNOTWEED. (P/afe XL) 



Polyg07imn amphibium. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Buckwheat. Rose. Scentless. Mostly north. July., August. 



Flowers: rather showy ; massed in a dense spike. Calyx : of five petal-like, 

 parted sepals. Corolla: none. Staine7ts : ^vq, exserted. Pistil: one; style, 

 two-cleft. Leaves: on long petioles; cordate; oblong; floating. Stem: s\x\y 

 merged, rooting in the mud. Rootstock : corm-like. 



This little aquatic sometimes strays from its home, and is 

 found flourishing upon the land. But we may imagine that it 

 is always glad to return and add its delicate grace to brighten 

 the slow-running streams. 



