16 THE BARBERRY FAMILY. 
wards into Scandinavia, but has been so frequently planted that the 
real limits of its area cannot be ascertained. Scattered over Britain, 
but probably not really indigenous. Fl. spring or early summer. — 
Ill. NYMPHAMACEA. THE WATERLILY FAMILY. 
_Aquatic herbs, with a submerged rootstock, orbicular or 
peltate floating leaves, and large solitary flowers. Sepals few. 
Petals numerous, in several rows, passing gradually into the 
stamens, which are also very numerous, their anthers adnate. 
Carpels numerous, but either imbedded into the receptacle, or 
combined together so as to form a single ovary with many cells, 
each with a “sessile stigma. Seeds albuminous, in the British - 
genera, with a very small embryo. 
Waterlilics, although not numerous in species, are to be found float- 
ing on shallow, still, or gently running waters in almost all parts of the 
world. They form an exceedingly natural group, of which several are in 
cultivation in our hothouses, including the gigantic Victoria, from 
tropical America, and the elegant Nelwmbo, from tropical Asia. 
Sepals greenish outside, about the size of the outer (white) petals . 1. NYMPH@MA, 
Sepals yellow, concealing the much smaller (yeliow) petals 4 . 2, NUPHAR. 
I. NYMPHAAA. NYMPHAA. 
Sepals about 4, like the outer petals, but greenish outside. Carpels 
numerous, imbedded in the thick receptacle so as to form as many 
cells, radiating from a common centre, whilst the petals and stamens 
are attached to the outside of the receptacle, nearly as high as the top 
of the cells. Stigmas as many as the cells, radiating on the surface of 
the ovary, each one extended into an erect, incurved, linear appendage, 
whilst the centre of the flower is occupied by the small conical summit 
of the receptacle. Fruit slightly pulpy, indehiscent. 
This genus, generally spread over the globe, includes the greater 
number of the species of the Order, with white, blue, or red flowers. 
1. N. alba, Linn. (fig. 34). White Waterlily.—Leaves deeply cordate, 
glabrous, usually about 6 or 8 inches in diameter. Flowers lying on the 
surface of the water, white, scentless, usually 3 to 4 inches in diameter. 
In lakes or still waters, and slow rivers, extending all over Europe 
and northern and central Asia, although absent from particular localities. 
Generally distributed in Britain. Fl. summer. Smaller flowered states 
occur, and several varieties have been distinguished by minute but un- 
certain characters in the forms of the anthers and stigmatic appendages, 
Il. NUPHAR. NUPHAR. 
Sepals about 5 or 6, concave, yellow, much larger than the outer 
petals. Carpels numerous, and radiating as in Nymphea, but united 
into an ovary, raised on the top of the receptacle, and not imbedded in 
it. Stigmas as many as the cells, their appendages united into a flat 
disk upon which the stigmas themselves radiate, 
