ALISMACE^. (WATEE-PLANTAIN FAMILY.) 439 



* Filaments slender awl-shaped, longer than the anthers : scape simple or branched. 



1. S. falcata, Pursh. Scape l°-5° high, with several of the lower 

 whorls fertile ; bracts ovate or orbicular ; pedicels slender, the fertile recurved in 

 fruit ; JUaments hairy ; achenia obouate-falcate, pointed witli a short incurved beak ; 

 leaves lanceolate or lance-oblong, all with a tapering base, thick (6' - 15' long, and 

 on a long and stoat petiole), the nerves mostly arising from Hie very thick midrib. 

 (S. lancifolia, Michx.) — Swamps, Virginia and southward. — Known at once by 

 its coriaceous and large, thick-ribbed, never sagittate leaves, &c. 



2. S. variabilis, Engelm. Scape (i°-4°high) 12-angled, with one or 

 more of the lower whorls fertile ; bracts pointed ; pedicels of the fertile flowers 

 about half tlie length of the sterile ones ; petals with white claws ; filaments glabrous, 

 nearly twice the length of the anthers ; achenia obovate, with u, long and curved 

 beak of J or ^ its length ; leaves very various, mostly sagittate. (S. sagittifolia, 

 Atner. auth., Sj-c. The European species has the fertile pedicels only i or i the 

 length of the sterile, the claws of the petals purple-tinged, the filaments not 

 longer than the anthers ; the achenia almost orbicular, very broadly winged, 

 and short-beaked.) — In water or wet places; very common. — Excessively 

 variable in size and foliage : the following are the leading forms. Var. OBTtiSA 

 (S. obtusa, Willd.) is large, dioecious ; the broadly sagittate leaves obtuse, ^°- 

 1° long. — Var. r,ATiF6i.iA (S. latifolia, Willd.) is large, moncecious, with 

 broad and acute sagittate leaves. — Var. diversif6ha, with some leaves 

 ovate-lanceolate, others more or less sagittate. — Var. sagittifolia is the or- 

 dinary form, with narrowly halberd-shaped or sagittate leaves (including S. 

 hastata, PursA). — Var. angustifOlia has the nan-ow leaves with long and 

 linear diverging lobes, and a larger more horizontally beaked fruit. — Var. oeA- 

 CILIS (S. gracilis, Pursh) is the most slender form, with nearly linear leaves and 

 lobes. 



* * Filaments very short, with a very broad glandular base: scape commonly simple. 



3. S. iieterophyila, Pursh. Scape weak, at length mostly procum- 

 bent ; bracts roundish, obtuse ; the lowest whorl of fertile flowers, which are 

 almost sessile;, the sterile flowers on long pedicds ; achenia narrowh/ obovate, long- 

 beaked. — Rather common, at least southward, and nearly as variable in foliage 

 as the last. Var. ELLfPTiCA has broad leaves (sometimes 6' long and 5' wide), 

 either obtuse or cordate at the base, or sagittate. — Var. RtaiDA (S. rigida, 

 Pursh) has stout petioles and rigid narrowly lanceolate blades, acute at both 

 ends. — Var. angustifOua has nearly linear leaves. — Var. FLtjiTANS has 

 narrowly linear and delicate floating leaves. 



4. S. simplex, Pursh. Scape very slender, erect (3' -20' high), the 

 lower whorls fertile ; bracts triangular, rather obtuse, the upper ones connate ; 

 pedicels all slender, the sterile and fertile of equal length ; achenia small, obovate, nar- 

 rowly winged, beaUess ; leaves varying from ovate-lanceolate to linear, rarely 

 sagittate. (S. aeutifolia, Pursh, &c.) — Rather common, especially southward. 

 — Flowers much smaller than in any of the foregoing. . 



5. S. piisilla, Nutt. Dwarf; scape (l'-3' high) shorter than the linear 

 or awl-shaped entire leaves (their proper blade obscure and obtuse or none) ; 

 flowers only 2-9, on slender pedicels, the fertile recurved after flowering ; stamens 



