CLASS XXI. ORDER 111. ] SPARGANIUM. 1149 
base. lowers in distinct sessile sphoerical heads, the fertile ones be- 
low in larger heads than the upper, more distant, and much more 
numerous, barren ones. Perianth of three spatulate pieces. Stamens 
with short filaments, the anthers large, yellow, two celled. Style 
short, terminal. Stigma one, sometimes two, awl shaped, downy on 
one side. Fruit obovate, crowned by the style, one, rarely two 
celled, single seeded. 
Habitat.—Ditches, margins of lakes, rivers, and pools; frequent. 
Perennial ; flowering in July. 
2. S. sim'plex, Huds. (Fig, 1381.) Unbranched upright Bur-reed. 
Leaves triangular at the base, their sides flat; common flower stalk 
simple ; stigma linear. 
English Botany, t. 745.—Englisb Flora, vol. iv. p. 75.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 880.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 247. 
foot with long branched fibres. Stem erect, anzular, from one to 
two feet high, slender, leafy, simple. Leaves linear, flat, sheathing at 
the base, quite smooth, like the rest of the plant, striated, pale green. 
Flowers in spheerical heads, sessile, or one or more elevated on short 
peduncles, the lower fertile heads larger than the barren ones, the 
perianth of three oblong spatulate membranous pieces, torn on the 
edges. Style awl-shaped, downy on one side, sometimes there are 
two styles, barren flowers in smaller heads, the stamens with long 
slender filaments, the anthers linear, wedge-shaped, two celled, yellow. 
Fruit linear, obovate, crowned by the style, mostly single seeded. 
Habitat.—Ditches and stagnant waters, especially in a sandy soil ; 
less frequent than the last. 
Perennial; flowering in July. 
3. S. na'tans, Linn. (Fig. 1382.) Floating Bur-reed. Leaves very 
long, linear, plane, floating; common flower stalk simple; stigma 
ovate, very short; head of sterile flowers mostly solitary. 
English Botany, t. 273.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 75—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 330.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 248. 
foot whorls of long fibres. Stem slender, long, simple, leafy, 
Leaves very long, linear, thin, almost pellucid, flat, sheathing at the 
base, striated, pale green. lowers in spheerical heads, sessile, or the 
lower ones on short peduncles, with leafy bracteas, the fertile flowers 
with the perianth of three ligulate membranous pieces. Style short, 
thick, with an obliquely peltate stigma, the barren flowers in a ter- 
minal head, the stamens with slender long filaments, and yellow two 
celled anthers. Fruit obovate, crowned by the style. 
Hubitat,— Lakes, ditches, and stagnant pools; abundant in the 
North, less frequent in the South. 
Perennial ; flowering in July. 
The Bur-reeds are abundant plants in the marshy districts, but 
