PROLIFIC KICE. 29 



Indian Rice, Wild Rice, or Water Oats {Zizania 

 aquatica), Fig. 12, is found in swampy borders of streams, 

 in shallow water, and is common. It grows from three 

 to nine feet in height, with flat, long, lanceolate leaves. 

 Panicle large, pyramidal ; lower branches sterile, spread- 

 ing ; upper, pistillate or fertile, erect. Flowers in July 

 and August, and drops its seed, when ripe, at the slight- 

 est touch, and this furnishes food for water-fowls. It is 

 also used for food by the aborigines. North America. 



This plant is the folle avoine of the early settlers of 

 Louisiana. It is exceedingly prolific, growing wild in 

 all the Southern States, where it is said to produce two 

 crops in a year of good hay, of which stock of every 

 kind are very fond. It is greedily eaten when green. 



In the Western States, where it is also common in the 

 shallow water on the swampy margins of streams, it 

 forms an important food for the Indians, who paddle a 

 canoe among the rice, bend it over the sides, and beat 

 out the grains with a stick. 



In Fig. 13, the staminate flowers are seen as they 

 appear at the end of a branch of the natural size. Fig. 

 14 represents a staminate flower, magnified ; Fig. 15, 

 the germ and stigmas ; Fig. 16, a fertile or pistillate 

 flower ; Fig. 17, the same, ripe ; Fig. 18, the seed. 

 Contrary to the usual arrangement, the fertile or pistil- 

 late flowers are above the sterile or staminate ones, while 

 the minute grains of pollen, being lighter than the atmos- 

 phere, rise when they leave the anther, and thus come in 

 contact with the stigmas. In Indian corn, on the other 

 hand, the grains of pollen are heavier than the surround- 

 ing air, and so fall from the sterile flowers of the "tas- 

 sel " upon the styles or " silks," and thus fertilize them. 



Prolific Rice {Zizania miliacea) is also found at the 

 South. Panicle spreading, sterile and fertile flowers 

 intermixed. Awns short, styles united, grain smooth. 

 3* 



