Butomus umbellatus. Flowering Rufil, or Water Gladiole. 



BUTOMUS Linnai. Gen. PL Enneandria Hexagynia, 



Raii Syn. Gen. 17. Herbje multisiliquje seu corniculatje. 

 BUTOMUS umbellatus. Linn. Spec. Plant, p. 532. 

 JUNCUS floridus major. Bauhin. Pin. p. 12. 

 GLADIOLUS paluftris Cordi. Gerard, -emac. p. 29» 



Raii Syn. ed. 3. p. 273. Hudfon. Fl. Angl. p. 152. Scopoli Flor. Cam. 



Bailer. Hi ft. PL Heh. vol. 2. p. Si. 



2. p. 283. 



RADIX perennis, alba, tuberculofa, tranfverfa, edulis ? 

 ex inferiore parte radiculas pradongas dimit- 

 tens. 



SCAPUS pedalis ad orgyaleixij teres, glaber. 



FOLIA triquetra, fpongiofa, fig. 1, fcapo breviora, ad y 

 bafin fpathacea, apicibus comprems, tortuofis. | 



r 

 % 



FLORES in Umbella, ad triginta; pedunculi digi- | 

 tales, e vaginis membranaceis prodeuntes. % 



CALYX : iNVOLucRUMtriphyllum, foliolislanceolatis, 

 marcefcentibus. 



COROLLA : PETALAfex, inaequalia, fubrotunda, con- 

 cava, rofea, Jig. 2, alternis minoribus, acu- 

 tioribus, fig. 3. 



STAMINA : Filamenta novem, fubulata,^. 4, 5. 

 Antherje infidentes, dum pollinem involvunt 

 oblongs, rubras, quadrifulcatze, mucrone brevi 

 terminate, fig. 6, 7, emiffo polline iubcordatae, 

 compreflae, bilamellofae, fig. 4 : Pollen fla- 

 villimum. 



PISTILLUM : Germen fubtriangulare, latere exte- % 

 riore latiore, convexo, fig. 9, 10 : Styli fex | 

 fubulati, fig, 8 : Stigma canaliculatum. ^ 



? 

 % 

 t 



ROOT perennial, white, knobby, tranfverfe, eatable* 

 from its under lide fending down a great num- 

 ber of very long fibres. 



STALK round, fmooth, from one to five or fix feet 

 high, according to its place of growth. 



LEAVES triangular, fpongy, fig. 1, morter than the 

 ftalk, at bottom fheathy, at top flat, and 

 twitted. 



FLOWERS numerous, to thirty, each on a fingle 

 peduncle of about a finger's length, forming 

 an Umbell, furrounded at bottom by wither- 

 ed membranous (heaths, 



CALYX : an Involucrum of three leaves, fpear fha- 

 ped, and withered. 



COROLLA: compofed of fix Petals, which are 

 foundifh, concave, and rnoft. commonly of a 

 bright red, fig, 2 : the three exterior fmaller, 

 and more pointed, fig. 3. 



STAMINA: nine Filaments, tapering,^. 4, 5. 

 Antherje fitting on the filaments, before the 

 fhedding of the Pollen, oblong, reddifh, ha- 

 ving four grooves, and terminated by a fliort 

 point, fig. 6, 7, appearing afterwards fome- 

 what heart-fhaped, flat, and as if compofed 

 of two lamellae, fig. 4 : the Pollen is of a 

 bright yellow colour. 



PISTILLUM: the Germen nearly triangular, the 

 outer fide broad and roundifh, fig. 9, 10 : fix 

 Styles, tapering: the Stigma has a fmall 

 channel in it, which afterwards fpreads into 

 two lips, fig. 11, 12. 



PERICARPIUM: Capsule fex, oblongae, attenuate, | 

 erectae, univalves, apice bilabiatse, introrfum f 

 dehifcentes, fig. 11,12. ? 



SEMINA plurima, minuta, oblonga, fufca, fig. 13. % SEEDS numerous, fmall, oblong, brown, fig. 



SEED-VESSEL: fix Capsules, oblong, tapering, 

 upright, of one valve, opening inwards, 

 fig. 11, 12. 



l 5' 



WE find this ftately plant, in and by the fides of our watery ditches, flowering from July to September. A 

 few years fince, it was found growing in St. George' 's Fields ; but the improvements making in that, and other parts 

 adjacent to London, now oblige us to go farther in fearch of this, and many other curious plants. About the 

 Ifland oi St. Helena, near Deptfiord, and in the Marines by Blackwall, it is found in great abundance, although very 

 fcarce in many other parts of Great Britain. Fifh ponds, or other pieces of water, would derive great beauty 

 from the introduction of this elegant native of our llle ; the handfome appearance of which, did not efcape our 

 countryman, old Gerard, who defcribes it thus : " The Water Gladiole, or Grafly Rufh, of all others, is the 

 " faireft and moft pleafant to behold, and ferveth very well for the decking and trimming up of houfes, becaufe 



,'•** of the beautie and braverie thereof." That accurate obferver Ray, defcribes its time Stamina, although in his 



time, they were not viewed in that confequential light which they are in our prefent Syilems of Botany. It is the 

 only plant of the clafs Enneandria, which grows wild in this kingdom. If vegetables were clafled according to their 

 natural affinities, this would rank among the Lilies. Cattle do not eat it. It is lo hardy a^ to bear the cold of Lapland. 



