HYDBOCHAEIS 



FBOG BIT OBDEB 



STEATIOTBS 883 



but are occasionally whitish with a 

 greenish spot on the inside of the upper 

 lobe. The variety angustifoUa is recog- 

 nised by its narrower leaves and smaller 

 brighter blue flowers. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 one of the finest and most showy water 

 plants when grown in large masses, and 

 is much admired for the elegance of its 

 leaves, among which nestle the spikes of 

 blue flowers. It is quite hardy and may 

 be gi-own in shallow water or at the edges 

 of lakes, pools &c. where its rhizomes can 

 creep freely in the mud. It grows better 

 submerged about a foot, and the water is 

 also a protection from very severe frosts. 

 Open sunny situations are best for the 

 Pickerel Weed, which dislikes shaded 



places. It is easily increased by division 

 of the tufts at almost any season, but pre- 

 ferably in spring. Seeds may also be 

 sown in pots sunk in water. When the 

 seedlings are large enough they may be 

 pricked out and given more room. 



Closely related are Eichornea azurea 

 and E. crassvpes, natives of tropical 

 America. They will grow freely out of 

 doors in most parts during the summer 

 months, but require the protection of a 

 warm greenhouse in winter. Small tufts 

 are easily grown in bowls or tubs of 

 water, and look very handsome when in 

 bloom. Grown in pots or tubs they 

 might be sunk in ponds and lakes during 

 the summer months. 



Division I. PET ALOIDE JE {^. 127). Series IT. Epigyn^ (p. 127). 



CXVII. HYD ROC HARIDE^— Frog Bit Order 



An order of aquatic herbs with floating or submerged, opposite or whorled 

 leaves. Flowers usually dioecious, with a 6-parted perianth. Stamens at the 

 base of the segments, 3, 6 or more. Ovary with 3 or 6 bifid styles. Fruit 

 usually a berry, submerged, 1-6-celled. 



HYDROCHARIS (Frog Bit).— This 

 genus contains only 1 species : — 



H. Morsus-Ranse. — A pretty little 

 water plant with fibrous and bulbiferous 

 roots found in ponds and ditches in vari- 

 ous parts of England. It is easily recog- 

 nised by its roundish kidney-shaped leaves 

 1-lJ in. long, deep green above, reddish 

 beneath. Flowers from July to August, 

 erect, white, about 1 in. across, with broadly 

 obovate crumpled petals. 



Culture and Propagation. — This plant 

 thrives in any still, clear, or muddy water 

 and may be increased by seeds sown in 

 pans of wet muddy soil when ripe, or in 

 spring ; or by runners which root at the 

 joints transplanted in autumn or spring. 



STRATI OTES.— A genus with only 

 one species : — 



S. aloides (Water Soldier). — A curi- 

 ously interesting water plant, native of 



the ponds and ditches in the British 

 Islands, and having short stolon-bearing 

 rootstocks. The leaves spring upwards 

 and outwards from the root, and are 

 6-18 in. long, deep green, tapering to a 

 point, and with spiny teeth on the mar- 

 gins. The sub-dioecious flowers appear 

 from June to August, and are about 1^ 

 in. across, with 3 white or yellowish inner 

 divisions larger than the 3 outer greenish 

 ones. In the male flowers there are 

 numerous stamens, but in the female ones 

 there are mostly staminodes, and a com- 

 pressed ovary with 6 linear styles. 



Culture am,d Propagation. — This plant 

 is grown more as a curiosity than anything 

 else. It will flourish in any piece of 

 water and may be left to increase itself at 

 pleasure by means of its creeping root- 

 stocks. When division is necessary it may 

 be done in early autumn or in spring. 



CXVIII. DIOSCOREACEiE— Yam Order 



A small order of plants often with tuberous roots, twining stems, and alternate 

 leaves, remarkable for having netted veins, instead of parallel or curved ones, 



3l 2 



