PROPAGATION OP WILD-DUCK POODS. 35 



THE WATERLILY GROUP. 



The waterlily group as represented in the United States is vari- 

 ously considered to comprise from one to three families. . One of the 

 three families (CabombaceEe) is distinguished by having the seeds 

 borne separately, each with its own closely fitting covering; these 

 plants have small uncleft circular or oval leaves on central stalks. 

 The second family (Nelumbonacese) has the large acornlike seeds in 

 open cavities in a thick funnel-shaped receptacle; these plants have 

 large uncleft circular leaves on central stalks. The third, or water- 

 lily, family (Nympheacese) has the numerous seeds entirely inclosed 

 in a fleshy, leathery, urn-shaped fruit; the leaves of these water- 

 lilies are cleft from the edge to the point of attachment of the leaf 

 stalk. 



The Cabombacea? include two plants of the United States, only 

 one of which is known to have noteworthy value as a wild-duck food. 

 This is the water shield (Brasenia schreheri, known also as B. peltata, 

 and B. purpurea) , which is found in ponds and slow streams through- 

 out the United States. Other vernacular names for this plant are 

 f rogleaf and little waterlily. The seeds only are eaten, but they have 

 been found in the stomachs of 19 species of ducks, including the wood 

 duck, Florida duck, mallard, black duck, buffle-head, golden-eye, pin- 

 tail, ruddy duck, widgeon, lesser and greater scaups or bluebills, red- 

 head, ring-necked duck, canvas-back, green-winged and blue-winged 

 teals, white-winged and surf scoters, and shoveller. No fewer than 

 120 seeds of water shield were found in a single stomach of a mallard, 

 and 380 in one of a wood duck. 



The family of nelumbos, or lotuses, has only one native species 

 (Nelumbo lutea) in the United States, and it is locally distributed 

 almost throughout the eastern half of the country. This plant has 

 a variety of vernacular names, among which are water chinkapin, 

 wankapin, yankapin, duck acorn, rattle or water nut, and yawknut, 

 and, among the French-speaking people of Louisiana, vole and 

 grand ovale. Locally it has considerable repute as a food for wild 

 ducks, especially the wood duck. 



The third, or waterlily, family consists of two genera, the cow- 

 lilies or spatterdocks (Nymphcea) and the true waterlilies (Cas- 

 talia. The name Nymphcea long was applied to the latter group 

 and is yet by some authorities. It is customarily used in this sense 

 also in trade publications. The spatterdocks have yellow flowers 

 with five or six leathery sepals, and the petals though numerous 

 are inconspicuous. The waterlilies, on the other hand, have numerous 

 conspicuous petals, which in our species are white, pink, blue-striped, 

 blue, or yellow. 



