Genus i. 



CAT-TAIL FAMILY. 



1858.* 



2. Typha angustifolia L. Narrow-leaved Cat- 

 tail. Fig. 160. 



Typha angustifolia L. Sp. PI. 971. 1753. 



Stems slender, 5°-io° high. Leaves mostly narrower 

 than those of the preceding species, 2" -6" wide; spikes 

 light brown, the staminate and pistillate portions usually 

 distant, the two together sometimes 15' long, the pistil- 

 late, when mature 2"-%" in diameter, and provided with 

 bractlets; stigmas linear or linear-oblong; pollen-grains 

 simple; pedicels of the mature pistillate flowers \" long 

 or less. 



Abundant in marshes along the Atlantic Coast from 

 Nova Scotia to Florida, but also occurring rather rarely 

 inland, and in California. Also in tropical America and 

 South America. Also in Europe and Asia. June-July. 

 Fruit, Aug.-Sept. Called also Lesser Reed-mace and most 

 of the names of the preceding species. 



Family 2. SPARGANIACEAE Agardh, Theor. Syst. PL 13. 



Bur-reed Family. 

 Marsh or pond plants with creeping rootstocks and fibrous roots, erect or 

 floating simple or branched stems, and linear alternate leaves, sheathing at the 

 base. Flowers monoecious, densely crowded in globose heads at the upper part 

 of the stem and branches, the staminate heads uppermost, sessile or peduncled. 

 Spathes linear, immediately beneath or at a distance below the head. Perianth 

 of a few irregular chaffy scales. Stamens commonly 5, their filaments distinct; 

 anthers oblong or cuneate. Ovary sessile, mostly i-celled. Ovules anatropous. 

 Fruit mostly 1 -celled, nutlike. Embryo nearly straight in copious endosperm. 



The family comprises only the following genus. 



i. SPARGANIUM [Tourn.] L. Sp. PI. 971. 1753. 



Characters of the family. [Greek, referring to the ribbon-like leaves.] 



About 22 species, of temperate and cold regions. Besides the following, 3 others occur in 

 western North America. Type species : Sparganium erectum L. 

 Achenes broadly obovoid or cuneate-obpyramidal, sessile, distinctly beaked ; inflorescence com- 

 pound; fruiting heads io"-i5" in diameter. 1. S. eurycarpum., 

 Achenes fusiform (in 5. minimum somewhat obovoid, but short-beaked and short-stipitate). 

 Stipe and beak of the achene each 1" long or more; fruiting heads 7K" in diameter or more; 

 anthers 3-4 times as long as broad. 

 Beaks straight or slightly curved ; stigmas linear. 



Heads all axillary ; beak shorter than the body of the achene ; leaves keeled. 

 Achenes dull; stigmas 1" long or less. 



Inflorescence branched, the branches geniculate, bearing 3-7 staminate heads. 



2. 5 1 . androcladum. 

 Inflorescence simple, or, if branched, the branches strict and bearing 0-2 stami- 

 nate heads. 3. 5". americannm. 

 Achenes glossy; stigmas iJ4"-iJ4" long. 4. S 1 . lucidum. 

 Heads, at least some of them, supra-axillary. 



Leaves, at least the middle ones, strongly triangular-keeled ; stem usually erect, strict. 

 Fruiting heads over 10" in diameter; leaves broad; bracts ascending-spreading; 

 beak fully as long as the body of the achene. 

 Leaves 3K"~7/4" wide, strongly veined; fruiting heads about 15" in 

 diameter ; achenes brown, shining, each gradually tapering into the beak. 



5. S. simplex. 



Leaves iyi"-4" wide, weakly veined; fruiting heads io"-i2^" in diameter; 

 achenes green, dull, each abruptly contracted into the beak. 



6. 5". chlorocarpum. 

 Fruiting heads rarely 10" in diameter; leaves narrow; bracts almost erect. 



Heads distant, nearly 10" in diameter; achenes grayish-brown, distinctly 



nerved. 7. 5*. diver sifolium. 



Heads approximate, about 7J4" in diameter; achenes dark olive-brown, not 

 nerved. 8. .S\ acaule. 



Leaves not keeled, or only slightly so, narrow and slender ; stem weak and often 

 floating ; beak decidedly shorter than the body of the achene. 

 Leaves usually 2l4"s" wide; leaves and bracts conspicuously scarious-margined; 

 fruiting heads 8J^"-io" in diameter; achenes gradually beaked. 



9. 5". multipedunculatutn. 

 Leaves ij4"-2" wide; leaves and bracts not conspicuously scarious-margined; 

 fruiting heads about 7'/i" in diameter; achenes abruptly beaked. 



io. 5. angustifolium. 



*Text revised by Dr. John Kunkel Small. 



