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HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



ern States generally ; but this is too low an estimate, 

 as I have found more than nine distinct species in Flor- 

 ida alone. 



Almost every muddy pond either North or South con- 

 tains one or more .of these 

 plants. Some grow nearly 

 or wholly out of water; but 

 the species which I am about 

 to describe are immersed, with 

 finely dissected leaves on long 

 stems extended in the water. 

 Scattered among the leaves, 

 or along the stems which are 

 destitute of leaves, are numer- 

 ous little bladders or utricles. 

 It had always been taken for 

 granted that these utricles 

 were made to float the plant, 

 although I had often noticed 

 that the stems most heavily 

 laden with these sank the 

 lowest in the water. 



The flowering stems of 

 most of the species are smooth, 

 free from leaves or utricles, 

 and shoot straight from the water to a height of from 

 three to twelve inches, bearing at the top from one 

 to ten curiously fashioned flowers of a yellow or pur- 

 ple color. 



fi6. 1. — a section of stem 

 of utricui.aria clandestine 

 (natural size). 



