8 BULLETIN 205, LT. S. DEPAETMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



borne in great abundance. They ripen in July and August and are 

 available to ducks throughout the winter, if the water is not frozen 

 over. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLANT. 



A single plant of Thalia divaricata is a stout, one-leaved stalk from 

 4 to 15 feet in height, rising from a large tuberlike root, and the stems 



Fig. 5. — Thalia divaricata. 



are usually clustered (fig. 5). The leaf is much like that of canna, is 

 stalked, and may measure 5 inches wide and 15 inches long. The 

 top of the stalk divides and subdivides into a large fruiting head which 

 may bear from 200 to 300 seeds. The ultimate branches of the fruit- 

 ing head are strongly zigzag. The flowers and seeds are borne in 

 husks, each of which is formed by two purplish 

 bracts, one much larger than the other. The oblong 

 seeds (fig. 6) are plump and vary in length up to 

 three-eighths of an inch. They have thin, closely 

 fitting individual husks, are slightly curved, and 

 bear numerous longitudinal rows of small irregular elevations which 

 are lighter in color than the rest of the surface. 



Fig. 6.— Seeds of thalia. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Thalia divaricata is native from Florida to southern Arkansas and 

 Texas and southward into Mexico, and doubtless it will thrive as far 



