CLASS XXI. ORDER VI., VIII. 369 



HEXANDRIA. 



382. ZIZANIA. 

 ZiZANiA AQuiTACA. Ph. Canada Rice. Water Oats. 

 Panicle pyramidal, the lower branches divaricate 

 and barren, the upper ones spiked and fertile ; pedi- 

 cels clavate ; flowers long awned ; seed linear. 



Syn. ZlZANIA CLAVTJLOSA. Mx. 



This interesting plant grows in deep water at the edges of 

 ponds and sluggish streams. It resembles, at a distance, slender 

 shoots of Indian corn, but often grows to the height of five or 

 six feet from the bottom. Culm jointed, as large as the little 

 finger. Leaves broad-linear. Panicle a foot or more in length, 

 the lower branches with spreading, barren flowers, the upper 

 with appressed, erect, fertile ones. The seeds are blackish, 

 smooth, narrow, cylindrical, about three quarters of an inch long, 

 deciduous; within they are white and farinaceous. — In a brook 

 near the Punch-bowl, Brookline ; in the brook which divides 

 Cambridge from West Cambridge. — July, August. 



The Zizania will probably at some day be an object of culti- 

 vation, since it affords a means of rendering useful large tracts 

 of inundated ground, and stagnant water. Horses appear to be 

 fond of it, and no plant, now en:iployed as forage, offers a larger 

 crop. The grain afforded by this plant has the qualities of rice, 

 and is yielded in large quantity. It is, however, very deciduous, 

 and on this account difficult to collect, since the seeds drop into 

 the water almost as soon as they are ripe. The Indians collect 

 them for food on the lakes, by pushing their canoes among them 

 and beating the rice into the boat, while the plant is standing. 



POLYANDRIA. 



383. SAGITTARIA. 



Sagittaria sagittifolia. jL. Arrow Head. 



Leaves sagittate, acute. L. 



Common in meadows, by the sides of brooks and ditches, put- 

 ting out its white flowers in July and August. The root is 

 fleshy, and has been used as food in times of scarcity. The 

 leaves are radical, large, smooth, and entire, very distinctly ar- 



