Sparganium Simplex* Small Bur-Reed, 



SPARGANIUM Lin. Gen. PL Monoecia Triandria. 



Masc. Amentum fubrotundum. 'Cat. 3-phyilus, Cor. o. 



F-BM. Amentum fubrotundum. Cal. 3-phyHus. Cor. o. Stigma 

 2-fidum. Drupa ex fucca, i-fpefma. 



Raii Syn. Graminifoli,e non cu-lmifer^; singulaRes et sui generis* 



SPARGANIUM Simplex foliis bafi triangulares, Iateribus planis, pedunculis fimplicibus; 



SPARGANIUM (implex foliis enfiformibus planis, caule fimplici, Hud/on Fl. Angl. p. 401» 



SPARGANIUM natans foliis decumbentibus planis. Lin. Syjl. Vegetal?, p. 702. Sp. Pi. 1378* 



SPARGANIUM non ramofum. Bauh. Pin. 15. 



SPARGANIUM non ramofum. Parkin/. 1205. Raii Syn. p. 437. n. 2. 3. Bur-feed riot branched. 



Linn^us makes only two fpecies of the genus Sparganium, one of which he calls ereclum, and the other 

 natans; the former he defcribes as very common in ditches and fifh-ponds, the latter peculiar to lakes and 

 deep waters. 



Older Botanifts defcribe three fpecies, the ramofum, the non ramofum, and the Minimum; the non ramofum' 

 Linn-^us confiders as a variety of his ereclum; it is this plant which we here give a figure of, from a 

 thorough conviction of its being a fpecies perfe&ly diftind from the common one, whether it differs fpecifically 

 from the natans . we do not take on us at prefent to determine : Mr. Lightfoot, who has feen the natans 

 in many places in Scotland, pronounces it a fpecies ; Mr. Hudson, on the contrary, confiders it as a variety 

 of the prefent plant; — certain it is, foil and fituation will occafion an amazing difference in the appearance 

 of plants ; we need only look at the Polygonum amphibium to be convinced of this ; when it grows on land 

 its leaves are all erecl, in the water they float ; the leaves of the Feftuca Jluitans float in the fpring ; as the 

 fummer advances they grow upright ; poffibly the depth and confequent coldnefs of the water, with other 

 circumftances, may occafion the prefent plant to affume the floating appearance which authors defcribe :— 

 culture, perhaps, can only decide this matter: — let the experiment turn out as it may, as there are found to 

 be two fpecies with ere& leaves, it became neceffary to alter Linn^eus's names, which Mr. Hudson having 

 judicioufly done we have adopted them. 



We fliall now point out the feveral charaders in which the prefent plant has appeared to us to differ from 

 the ramofum. 



It differs in its place of growth, 



In its fize, 



In the colour and fhape of its leaves, 



In the branchednefs of its flower-ftalks, and 



In the colour of the male and female flowers. 



The commom Bur- Reed grows in almoft every ditch in the neighbourhood of London, the fmall one Ori 

 the contrary is found only in particular fpots, particularly in fuch pools of water as one meets with ori 

 heaths, and which are frequently made by the digging of gravel, along with the Myriophyllum, the Alifma 

 Damafonium, Sifon inundatum, Scir pus Jluitans, Sec. It particularly abounds on Batterfea Common, juft 

 before you enter Wandfworth on the left-hand fide from London, and flowers during the whole of the 

 fummer. 



It is feldom found more than one fourth part fo high as the Sparganium ramofum. 



The leaves incline much more to a yellow colour, and inftead of being hollow on two fides near the bafe, 

 as thofe of the ramofum are, they are flat, fo that a tranfverfe fec~tion forms a triangle with nearly plain fides J 

 we look on this as its beft fpecific character. Such as have opportunities of obferving the natans, will do 

 well to obferve whether its leaves are fimilar near the bafe. 



Each flower-ftalk fupports only a fmgle globule of male or female flowers ; the lowermoft which fupport 

 the female flowers vary confiderably in length, being fometimes more than an inch long, and at other times 

 feffile. 



The flowers before they blow look yellow, and have none of that blacknefs about them; fo confpicuous in 

 thofe of the ramofum : they are alfo larger in proportion. 



