Te PRITISH WER BAT 
oft 
Thefe are of a paler colour than the body of 
the ftalk; and they are fhorter toward the lower 
part of the plant, and are there placed much 
thicker, and clofer together; and are longer, and 
more remote toward the top. 
This fpecies naturally produces only a fingle 
flower: it is placed, not at the extremity of 
the ftalk, but near it; and as the whole top 
bends, this flower hangs downward : it is very 
Jarge, and of a beautiful ftraw colour: it is 
compofed of ten petals in two feries, as in the 
others of this genus; but the inner five are fmall, 
and are fometimes wanting: this has occafioned 
GE ON 
fome who have feen it to call the Hower pentax 
petalous 3 but its proper number of petals is ten; 
as in the reft of this genus. : 
The feed. Vveflel is large and ftriated ; the feeds 
are numerous and f{mall. 
: It is a native of North America, and flowers 
in April. 
Gronovius calls it Monotropa flore nutante. 
We have no knowledge of the virtues of thefé 
plants, nor do they feem to poffefs any worthy 
enquiry. ; 
Us I, 
WATER-LILLY, 
NYMPHAA 
mHE flower is compofed, of numerous petals, regularly difpofed, and fixed to the fide of the 
germen: the feedaveffel is large and oval, with a narrow neck ; itis juicy, and contains a pulpy 
matter, with numerous large feeds: the cup is large and coloured; it is compofed of five, or in fome 
fpecies, only of four leaves ; and it remains with the fruit after the flower is fallen. 
Linnaeus places this among the polyandria monogynia ; the threads in the flower being numerous; 
and fixed to the receptacle, and the ftyle from the rudiment of the fruit fingle. 
DIVISION IL 
1. White Water-lilly: 
Nymphaea alba. 
The root is very long, large; and thick: it is 
brown on the outfide, and white within; and 
has numerous large and long fibres. 
The leaves are fupported on fingle footftalks : 
thefe are round, thick, fpungy, and of a great 
length; rifing from the furface of the mud 
ufually, to the top of the water, whereon the 
leaves float. 
Thefe are vety large, and roundifh, and of a 
beautiful greenicolour, and fhining furface. 
The flowers are fupported, like the leaves, 
each on a long footftalk. 
They are very large, and of a beautiful bright 
white; and of a light, but agreeable {mell : 
the cup has four leaves. 
The feed-veffel is large, ‘and roundifh, but 
drawn in at the neck, and there crowned with a 
dentated rim. : 
The feeds are large, roundifh, and contained 
jn a great quanitty of pulp. 
It is common in our brooks and rivers; and 
flowers in Auguft. C; Bauhine calls it Nymphea 
alba major, Others, only Nymphaea alba. 
The root of this fpecies is greatly recommend- 
ed as cooling and aftringent. 
The country people give the juice of it for the 
fluor albus, with fuccefs. The powder of it 
dried is good againft weakneffes in the feminal 
veffels. : 
The frefh roots, fliced and infufed in red wine, 
are ufeful againft overflowings of the menfes.’ 
Outwardly the leaves are cooling; and an oil 
is made, by fome, of the flowers, which is ex- 
cellent againft pain. 
There is an opinion of the roots and feeds 
BRITISH SPECIES, 
having a power to prevent venereal defires ; but 
this is idle. ‘ 
; 2. Yellow Water-lilly: 
Nymphaea lutéa. 
The root is very long and thick, of a {mooth 
furface, except that the outer fkin in fome places 
cracks and chops; and of a white colour: it 
fends out numerous large fibres, and itfelf runs 
obliquely into the mud: } 
The leaves are fupported each on its feparaté 
footftalk : thefe are very long, light, fmooth, 
and full of a fpungy pith: the leaves themfelves 
are very large, and of an oblong figure, but ap- 
proaching to round; and of a bright green colour; 
The flowers are alfo fupported fingly on very 
long footftalks: they are large ; but what ap- 
pears at firft fight to be the flower is, in this, 
as in the preceding fpecies, the cup: this is com- 
pofed of five leaves, which are very broad and 
yellow, and furround the petals: thefe are fmall; 
and they are alfo yellow; and they are placed in 
two feries. 
The feed-veffel is large, and of a pear-fathioned 
fhape ; and the feeds are round, large; and fur- 
rounded with a pithy matter. 
. It is common in large waters, where, if they 
be not deep, the leaves and flowers rife above 
the furface; though the plant will flower and 
ripen its feeds when many feet under water. 
C. Bauhine calls it Nymphea lutea majors 
thers, fimply Nymphza lutea. 
There is another plant called Yellow water-Hilly 
by the common writers, and diftinguifhed by 
the more accurate, under the name of Nymphs 
cides, the Yellow water-lilly with fringed flowers; 
but this, being of a different clafs, has been de- 
oO. 
’ feribed before, in its places 
D1 VY ft 
