j 54 AMtOSPERMJi. 



Egypt, tut abundant there 2500 years ago and sacred to Isis ; one of 

 the two great types (Papyrus the other) of ancient Egyptian architeo- 

 tuve and ornament. Whole plant still sacred in Ind. ; the spiral fibres 

 of the petioles are used as wick for the sacred lamps. See Lesson XII., 

 Fig. 79. Sev. var. with white and blue fls. Introduced in private 

 and public gardens, Eur., U. S. ; fine specimens in Union Square, 

 New York. 



Sub-Ord. 2. Nymphaeaceae. Water-Liltks. — Acaulesceni. Lvs. 

 and fls. floating, rarely emerged. Carpels 8-30, whorled, coherent, en- 

 veloped by the torus ; stigmas connate, radiate, as In Papaver. Pr. a 

 large berry, co-seeded ; rind hard, bursting irregularly ; rarely sepa- 

 rating into distinct carpels. 5 gen., 30 spec. 1. Victoria regia (mono- 

 typic), Mais del agua, Water-Maizb. Lvs. and fls. floating. Sep. 

 4, purple without; pet. oo (several hundred), passing into the c» sta. ; 

 and all epigynous. Fl. 12'-18' wide ; outer pet. white, inner rose. 

 Berry large, spiny. Sds. edible. Petiole spiny ; blade 6°-12° wide, 

 with boss-like eminences; orbicular; apparently centrally peltate, but 

 slit at base to petiole ; deep purple beneath ; margin upturned as a 

 rim. Slow waters, S. Am. 2. Euryale ferox, monotypic. Close to 

 Victdria, but more spiny; fl. much smaller, purple; pet. 20-30; If.- 

 blade l°-4° wide, rim 0. E. Ind. Sds. arillate, edible. 8. Nymph- 

 aea. Sep. 4, hypog., green without. Pet. oo, oo-seriate, passing 

 into the oo epigynous sta. Berry ripened under water. Sds. arillate. 

 20 spec, still or slow waters, both worlds. N. orfomte, lvs and fls. 

 floating. Lvs. orbic, cordate-cleft to petiole at base, 9' wide. El. 

 white, fragrant, 5' wide, opening only at morning. Common, IT. S. 

 Var. with pink and red fls. N. dlha, similar, fls. large, white, sleep- 

 ing under water at night. Eur., Asia. N. tuberbsa, rhiz. with self- 

 detaching tubers. Fls. white, 5'-9' wide; If. lO'-lS' wide. Great 

 Lakes ; W. and S. N. iotes, lvs. and fls. emerged. Fl. white, large ; 

 sleeping under water at night. Lvs. serrate. Eg}'pt. Var. in 

 Guinea ; Asia. N. cceriilea, fls. blue, large ; Egypt, Ind. ; sev. var. 

 N. bldnda, night-blooming, S. Am., W. Ind. N. gigantea, fl. very 

 large, blue, Moreton Bay, Australia. 4. Barcl^ya. Sep. 5, distinct, 

 hypog. Pet. 5, epig., connate into a tube at base ; sta. oo, epipet. 

 PI. red. Beny bristly. 2 spec, E. Ind. 6. Ntiphar, Yellow 

 Watbk-Lily. Sep. 5-6 or more, large, yellow ; pet. 10-18, minute, 

 stamen-like or ; sta. short, oo ; all hypog. Ova. on top of torus. 

 Berry ripening under water. Lvs. large, cordate or sagittate, floating 

 or emerged. 3-4 spec. Am., Eur., Asia. N. iii^ea, Bkandy-bottlbs. 

 Sep. 5 ; fls. yellow, brandj'-soented. 2' wide. Eur., Asia; nat. below 

 Phila. N.. ddvena, Bonnets, Spattbkdock. Sepals 6. Fls. large, 

 globular, yellow. Sd., Fig. 7, E. Can. to Gulf N. sagiticef blia, fl. 

 smaller ; pet. 0. N. C, Tenn. to Gulf. N . polysepalum, fls. very large, 

 yellow; W. U. S. 



Sub-Ord. 3. Cabombacese. Water- Shields. — Caulescent. 

 Stems slender, leafy, floating. Lvs. elliptic, centrally peltate. Lvs. 

 and fls. floating. Ova. free, whorled, stigmafiferous at top (Caboraba) 

 or throughout their length (Hydropeltis). Ripe carpels indehisc 2 

 gen., 3 spec 1, Hydropfeltis /)M?7)M?'ea (Brasenia peltdta), monotypic. 

 Sep. 3-4. Pet. 3-4. Sta. 12-18; fls. small, purple. Ova. 4-18, 2- 

 ovuled. Eipe carpels 2-1-seeded. Lvs. 2''-3'' wide. Stem coated 

 with mucilage. Ova., Fig. 179, 6. Ponds, slow streams. Can. to 



