1220 MYROPHYLLUM. [CLASS XXI. ORDER VII. 
GENUS XXVI. MYROPHYL'LUM.—Liyy. Water Milfoil. 
Nat. Ord. Hatora'cex. Brown. 
Gey. Cuar. Barren flowers calyx inferior, four partite. Petals 
four, alternating with the lobes of the calyx. Stamens eight. 
Fertile flowers calyx four lobed. Petals four, or wanting. 
Stigmas four, sessile. Fruit four nuts, compressed, sub-globose, 
single seeded—Name from peice, a myriad ; and vAdoy, 
a leaf ; in allusion to the much divided leaves. 
1. M. spica'tum, Linn. (Fig. 1470.) Spiked Water Milfoil. Spike 
erminal, naked, interrupted, erect when in bud, barren flowers 
whorled, spiked; fertile flowers whorled ; leaves whorled, pectinated, 
with setaceous segments. 
English Botany, t. 83.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 143.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4 vol. i. p. 8347.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 110. 
Root long, fibrous, the whole plant {except the spike under water. 
Stem round, slender, smooth, more or less branched, dark green, as 
well as the leaves. Leaves numerous, in crowded whorls, pectinated 
with long bristle-like segments, opposite and alternate. Inflorescence 
a terminal interrupted spike, one to five inches long, of more or less 
numerous flowers in whorls, the lower ones with pectinated bractea, 
and the upper with entire ones. Fruit sessile, four nuts, in a whorl, 
sub-globose, compressed, single seeded. 
Habitat —Ditches and pools; frequent. 
Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 
2. M. alterniflo'rum, De Cand. (Fig. 1472.) Alternate flowered 
Water Milfoil. Spike terminal, naked, interrupted, nodding when in 
bud, erect when in flower; barren flowers alternate, spiked ; fertile 
flowers in whorls at the base of the spike; leaves whorled, pecti- 
nated, with capillary segments. 
English Botany, Suppl. t. 2854.—Babington, British Botany, p. 
108. 
Roots whorled, fibrous, the whole plant except the spike sub- 
mersed. Stem round, slender. smooth, branched, the branches alter- 
nate and opposite. eaves three or four in a whorl, olive green, 
pectinated, the segments fine, hair-like. Inflorescence a terminal 
interrupted spike, nodding when in bud, erect when in bloom, barren 
flowers alternate, mostly four flowered, sometimes six, in the axis of 
oblong bracts, which become enlarged after flowering, and are seldom 
more than three, united at the base, fertile flowers in whorls at the 
base of the spike. Fruit sessile, ovate, nuts rough, sub-compressed. 
Habitat.—Ponds and ditches; about Lincoln frequent, and 
Sutton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire. 
Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 
This species, readily distinguished from the above, is perhaps more 
frequent than is supposed, from their frequently growing together, 
