TYPIIACEJE. 34U 



nating the stem ; the upper part consisting of stamens} in- 

 termixed with simple hairs; the lower or fertile part consist- 

 ing of ovaries, surrounded by club-shaped bristles, which 

 form the copious down of the fruit. Nutlets minute, very 

 long-stalked. — Marsh herbs, with perennial roots, very de- 

 ciduous spathes or brads, and narrow leaves sheathing the ba&e of the 

 erect thickislt join (less stems. 



1. T. latifolia, L. Common Cat-tail. Reed-mace, 



Leaves linear, nearly flat ; sterile and fertile spikes close together or continuous. 



Borders of ponds. July. Stem 3 to 5 feet high, round and smooth, leafy below, 

 terminated by the large eylindric spike, which is 6 to 10 inches long, 1 inch thick, 

 brownish at the surface. 



2. T. angustifolia, L. Narrow-leaved Cat-tail. 



Leaves channelled towards the base, narrowly linear; sterile and fertile spikes *> 

 little remote. 



Muddy pools and ditches, rare. July. Stems and spikes more slender, and tu« 

 leaves narrower than in the last. 



2. SPARGANIUM, Tourn. Burr-reed. 



Gr. sparjanon, a fillet, from the ribbon-like leaves. 



Flowers collected in seperate dense globose heads, scat- 

 tered along the summit of the stem, subtended by leaf-like 

 bracts, the upper ones sterile, consisting merely of stamen* 

 with minute scales irregularly interposed; the lower or fer- 

 tile larger, consisting of numerous sessile pistils, each sur- 

 rounded by 3 to 6 scales much like a calyx. Fruit nut- 

 like when mature, ] to 2-celled. — Aquaticherbs, with fibrous 

 perennial roots, simple or branching stems, sheathed by the base of 

 the linear leaves. 



1. S. RAMOSUM, Hudson. Great Burr-reed. 



Stem erect, branching above ; leaves triangular at base, the sides concave ; scales of 

 the fertile Bowers thi< kenvd and dilated above; stigma linear, longer than the style. 



Borders of ponds and ditches, common. July, Aug. Stem 2 feet high, round. 

 Leaves 1 to 2 feet long, J.4 to x / ± inch wide, thickish. Heads of Jimoers l:ght green ; 

 fertile ones 2 to b. the lowest generally somewhat stalked, sterile ones above, mor» 

 numerous, smaller, sessile. Stigmas often 2. 



2. S. Americana, Nutt. American Burr-reed. 



Stim erect, mo>tiy simple; leaves triangular at the base, the sides flat; Higmm 

 conical. obloLg, oblique, about ]/ 2 as long as the slender style. 



Small streams and ponds, common. Aug. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, simple or Jir 

 vided at base Leaves mostly radical, 1 to '2,y 2 feet long, % inch wide, keeled at 

 base. Fa tilt fkads tef-sile, mostly o, below the several barren ones, with th« sim- 

 ple styles conspicuous. 



3. S. natans, L. Floating Burr-reed. 



Stem weak; leaves flat, thin, of;en boating; heads few, the sUrilt 1 to 2; :Kg m* 



©biong, sLoitcr than tut btvle. 



U2 



