REED-MACE TRIBIi 



2oi 



single, superior, i-celled ; style short ; stigma linear, lateral ; fruit 

 i-celled, i-seeded, not opening, angular by mutual pressure. Her- 

 baceous plants, growing in marshes and ditches, with jointless 

 stems, sword-shaped leaves, and small flowers, which are only 

 conspicuous from their compact mode of growth. The Order 

 contains only two families, examples of both of which are of common 

 occurrence in Great Britain. 



1. Typha (Reed-mace). — Flowers in spikes. (Name from the 

 Greek, typhos, a marsh, where these plants grow.) 



2. Sparganium (Bur-reed). — Flowers in globular heads. (Name 

 in Greek denoting a little hand, from the ribbon-like 

 leaves.) 



I. Typha {Reed-mace) 



1. T. latifolia (Great Reed-mace, or Cat's Tail). — 

 Leaves nearly flat ; barren and fertile spikes continuous. 

 Our largest herbaceous aquatic, often growing 6-8 

 feet high, with linear leaves," and stout, cylindrical 

 stems, surmounted by a fertile club-like spike, the 

 lower part of which contains fertile flowers only, the 

 upper barren. It is often, but incorrectly, called 

 Bulrush, the true Bulrush teing Scirpus pahistris, 

 a plant which has more the habit of a gigantic rush. 

 Ponds ; common. — Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



2. T. angustifolia (Lesser Reed-mace, or Cat's 

 Tail). — Leaves grooved below; barren and fertile 

 spikes slightly interrupted. Ponds ; less frequent 

 than the last, from which it differs by the above 

 characters and by its smaller size. — Fl. July, August. 

 Perennial. 



Typha 

 Latifolia 

 [Great Reed- 



Mace, or 

 Cat's Tail) 



2. Sparganium {Bur-reed) 



1. S. ranwsmn (Branched Bur-reed). — 

 Leaves triangular at the base, with concave 

 sides ; stem branched. A large aquatic, 

 which at a distance might be mistaken for 

 a Flag {Iris pseiid-acorus). The leaves are 

 sword-shaped, and the flowers are collected 

 into globular heads, of which the lower con- 

 tain fertile flowers only, the vipper barren. 

 Ditches; common. — Fl. July, August. Peren- 

 nial. 



2. 5. simplex (Unbranched upright Bur- 

 reed). — Leaves triangular at the base, with 

 flat sides ; stem unbranched. Smaller than 



Sparcanium Ramosum 

 [Byaiiclied Bur-yeed\ 



