884 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



belonging to the Aroid family, with pretty, deep-green, velvety- 

 looking, lanceolate-ovate-shaped leaves, which are floating or erect, 



Fig. 586. — Nuphar lutea. 



according to the depth of water. The long-stalked spadix is 

 .covered with numerous very small flowers of a yellowish colour. 



Stratiotes aloides 

 (Water Soldier) (Fig. 

 587). — This is a mono- 

 typic genus and an in- 

 habitant of our ponds 

 and slow-running waters. 

 The plant — a rosette- 

 like tuft of leaves — re- 

 sembles a small-growing 

 Aloe, and is usually 

 entirely submerged, only 

 floating when it is in 

 flower, the tips of the 

 leaves then rising above 

 the surface of the water. 

 It increases rapidly, and 

 therefore should be kept 

 under close observation, 

 or it may obtrude itself 

 where not wanted. 



Trapa natans (Water 

 Caltrops ; Water Chest- 

 nut) (Fig. 588).— A de- 

 sirable Aquatic, of 

 annual duration, with 

 peculiarly -shaped four- 

 horned fruits (Fig. 

 589). The leaves have 

 ' swollen petioles, and are 

 arranged in the form 

 Fig. 587.— Stratiotes aloides. of a rosette. 



