AQUATIC AND BOG PLANTS. 



381 



of the prettiest plants for a pond, tank, or stream. It has 

 oblong bright-green leaves and twin flower-spikes, the 

 ivory-white bracts being very conspicuous. It is very 

 fragrant, and blooms nearly all the year. Although quite 



Fig. 474.— Aponogeton distachyon. 



hardy in 2 feet of water, it may be grown indoors with 

 advantage during winter in tubs or bowls. 



Azolla filiculoides. — Pretty little floating plant, turn- 

 ing a charming red colour in sunshine. It is quite hardy 

 in many places, and likes stagnant or muddy water. 



Bajiboos. — Most species of Arundinaria, Thamnocala- 

 mus, and Bambusa grow best in deep moist soil near 

 water. They grow in any good soil if well sheltered from 

 wind, but look best beside ponds or streams, or in moist 

 gulleys and ravines. (See p. 291.) 



Brasenia pdtata (Water Shield). — Copper - coloured 

 peltate leaves. Flowers purple -brown, of neat habit. 



Butomus umbellatus (Flowering Rush). — 

 Forms masses 3-6 feet high near lake margins, 

 rising out of the water with rushy green leaves, 

 and tall umbels of pink flowers. 



Cabomba aquatica. — A feathery, rich, bright- 

 green plant, resembling the floating Ranuncu- 

 lus, but requiring sub-tropical warmth. 



Calla palustris (Bog Arum). — Bright-green 

 leaves, not unlike Pontederia, and small white 

 Arum-like flowers. Leaves and flowers on long 

 rhizomes. 4 *P 



Cyperus alternifolius rigidus. — Dark-green ^Jpv i 

 sedge, with umbrella-like leaves, narrower than _-\ 

 those of the type. .^sT'"- 



Eichorxea azurea. — Stems long and rope- ^ 



like, clothed with upright, spoon -shaped, bright - 

 green leaves, and bearing handsome spikes of : : liiy 



rose-lilac flowers, similar to those of the Water ____ 



Hyacinth, to which it is allied. Sub-tropical. 



Hedychium. — All the species grow and 

 flower with freedom when treated as semi- \ 



aquatics, i.e. growing them in large pots partly- 

 sunk in a warm-water tank. 



Hottonia palustris (Water Violet). — Finely- 

 cut submerged foliage of a dark, bright-green, 

 flower-spikes verticillate, with pinkish flowers not unlike 

 those of Primula japonica. 



Jusslea grandiflora. — A free-growing plant, not quite 

 hardy, but worth growing for summer effect. Its long- 

 rhizomes creep along the surface of the water, and put out 

 curious pith -like floating roots. The leaves are fresh -green, 

 amongst which appear the golden (Enothera-like flowers. 



Limnocharis Humboldtii (fig. 475). — Floating rounded 

 leaves of a bright -green colour, and large soft -yellow 

 flowers. One of the most beautiful of all floating aquatic 

 plants. May be readily grown in a tub or small tank, or 

 near the margin of lake or pool, so as to be 

 near the eye. 



Menyanthes trifoliata (Bog- Bean). — A 

 pretty native plant, with ternate leaves and 

 spikes of pink -and -white hairy fringed 

 flowers. 



Myriophyllum proserpinacaides (G-reen 

 Feather). — A fresh-green plant, well adapted 

 for carpeting mud or shallow water, or for 

 fringing tanks and vases during summer. 



Nelumbium luteum (the Yellow Lotus). — 

 This species is found in Jamaica and in the 

 southern United States, and although toler- 

 ably hardy it is not often successfully grown. 

 In habit it is similar to N. speciosum, but 

 not so robust, and the flowers are of a soft 

 and pale-yellow colour. 



N. speciosum (see Plate). — One of the most 

 exquisitely beautiful of all water plants, 

 wdiich is largely grown in tropical countries, 

 India, China, and Japan. Flowers 6-12 inches across and 

 very fragrant, borne on stalks 3-6 feet high. Leaves 

 peltate, soft-glaucous hued, and velvety, so that water 

 trickles off them like quicksilver, and as the rounded 

 leaves are borne on tall slender stalks they look like 

 sunshades or umbrellas. As a rule they rarely thrive 

 except in a warm plant -house, but in France and the 

 northern United States they bloom during the heat of 

 summer in outdoor tanks in enclosed and sheltered 

 conditions. Their rhizomes enjoy creeping in hot slimy 

 mud enriched with manure. The following are Japanese 

 varieties said to be hardier than the type : — 



Fig. 475.— Limnocharis Humboldtii. 



Album fl. pi.— Flowers double, pure whit-. 



Album striatum. — Flowers white, margined and streaked 

 with crimson. 



Grandiflorum album.— Flowers very large and of the purest 

 white. 



Kermesimim.— Flowers deep rosy-carmine. 



Osiris. — Flowers very large, rosy-crimson. 



Pekinense rubrum.— Flowers large, of a rich, reddish-purple 

 colour. 



Roseumfl. pi.— Flowers very full, double, pale-rosy. 



