464 Typhac&B. 



ORDER IV. TYPHACE-ffil. 



Semi-aquatic herbs with a creeping rootstock, narrow linear 

 sheathing leaves, and spicate or capitate monoecious flowers. 

 Perianth none, or reduced to scales or hairs. Stamens definite 

 or indefinite. Fruit dry or succulent, 1 -celled and 1 -seeded. 

 There are two British genera of this affinity. 1 . Typha, Cat's- 

 tail, Bullrush, or Reed-mace, having the flowers in cylindrical 

 spikes, the males at the top. T. Latifolia (fig. 224) is a 

 striking plant from 3 to 8 feet, in which the male and female 

 portions of the spike are contiguous. T. angustifolia is a 

 smaller species with narrower leaves and a distinct separation 

 of the male and female flowers. 2. Sparganium., Bur-reed, 

 has the flowers in racemes of globose heads furnished with 

 large leafy bracts. S. ramosum with a branched inflorescence, 

 and S. simplex with a simple spike, are both common plants. 



ORDER V. ALISMACE^E. 



Aquatic or marsh plants with simple radical leaves and 

 leafless flower-scapes. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. 

 Perianth inferior, all the segments or only the three inner 

 coloured, often fugacious. Stamens 6 or 9 or more. Fruit of 

 3 to 6 or more dehiscent or indehiscent 1- or more seeded 

 carpels. Seeds destitute of albumen. This small order com- 

 prises about 50 widely dispersed species. Besides the following 

 there are about half a dozen other British species, the most 

 conspicuous of which are the Water Plantains (Alisma). A. 

 Plantago is the common conspicuous species with erect 

 lanceolate ribbed leaves on long stalks, and a tall panicled 

 scape with whorled branches bearing small fugacious flowers of 

 which the three inner segments are pale rose colour. 



1. SAGITTARIA. 



A genus of several tropical and temperate species of aquatic 

 plants. The name is from sagitta^ an arrow, from the form of 

 the leaves in the earliest known species. 



