76 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



SPECIES I.— B UTOMUS UMBELLATUS. Linn. 

 Plate MCCCCXLIII. 

 Belch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Hclv. V»l. VII. Tab. LVIII. Fig. 103. 



The only known species. 



In ditches, ponds, and at the sides of rivers. Not very common, but 

 generally distributed in England, except in the nortli. At Howick, 

 Northumberland, it is believed to be introduced, and is certainly so in 

 Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh, and the Loch of Clunie (Perthshire ?). 

 Local and rare iii L'cland, but extending from the south to the north- 

 east. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland. Perennial. Summer, early Autumn. 



llootstock thickened, fleshy, extensively creeping, producing long 

 radical triquetrous leaves with enlarged bases sheathing the rhizome, 

 in appearance somewhat resembling those of Spargatiiiun rumosura, 

 but much narrower and more or less twisted, shorter than the scape. 

 Scape 2 to 4 feet high, terete, bearing a terminal many-flowered umbel, 

 which in bud is enclosed in an invplucre of 3 ovate-acuminate scarious 

 leaves more or less tinged with purple. Pedicels at flrst very short, 

 afterwards elongating till they are 2 to 4 inches. Flowers saucer- 

 shaped, |- to 1 inch across. Perianth segments concave, whitish tinged 

 with pale rose in the inside, dark purplish rose in the middle of the 

 back, where the 3 outer ones are faintly tmged with green. Anthers 

 dull red. (Jvaries rose colour. Capsules surrounded by the withered 

 perianth and stamens, of 6 coherent inflated follicles with long beaks 

 formed by the persistent styles. Seeds very numerous. Plant pale 

 briglit green. Stems and leaves filled in the interior with lax spongy 

 tissue. 



Flowering Rush. 



French, Butome en ombelle. German, DoMiMilIiitJtuje ScJiivancnhlume. 



This beautiful plant is one of tlie stateliest and most elegant of English aquatics — 

 improperly called a rush, though the similarity of its long smooth stalk to that of the 

 bulrush sufficiently accounts for the error. Gerard, who suggests the name of 

 " Lillie Grasse," calls it the Water Gladiole or Grassie Rush, and says that of " all 

 others it is the fairest and most j)leasant to behold, and serveth very well for the 

 decking and trimming up of houses, because of the beantie and braverie thereof; 

 consisting of sundry smale flowers compact of sixe smale leaves, of a white colour 

 mixed with carnation, growing at the top of a bare and naked stalk, five or six footo 

 long, and sometime more." It is one of the greatest ornaments to our rivers and 

 ponds, and poets sing its praises : — 



" Her rosy umbels rears the Flowering Rush, 

 While with reflected charms the waters blush." 



The seeds and roots were formerly used medicinally, and ia the north of Asia the 

 roots ai'c roasted and eaten. 



