922 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



LiMNANTHEMUM iNDicuM (Water-Siiowflake) is a handsome 

 little Aquatic, with floating heart-shaped leaves, which somewhat 

 resemble those of a miniature Water Lily. The elegant little 

 flowers are produced from the slender stems near the base of 

 the leaves, and are pure white, the upper surface of the corolla 

 being prettily fringed. It is a free-flowering and attractive little 

 plant of slender growth, and requires a situation in shallow 

 water. 



LiMNOBiUM BOGOTENSE {Tf'taftea bogotensis) is a compact- 

 growing little floating plant with oblong or orbicular deep-green, 

 shining leaves about lin. in diameter, borne on short 

 petioles, and arranged in the shape of a rosette. It freely 

 produces short stolons from the base, and at the ends of these 

 other plants are produced. The flowers are insignificant. 



LiMNOCHARis EMARGiNATA (Z. Pliimieri) is an erect-growing 

 plant with pale yellow flowers borne in umbels on stout, three- 

 sided scapes. The ovate leaves are quite entire, very distinctly 

 veined, and of a pale green ; the petioles are long and triangular 

 in shape. Height ift. to 2ft. 



Myriophyllum proserpinacoides (Parrot's Feather) is a very 

 graceful plant of a pleasing shade of green. It has long slender 

 stems, densely covered with very finely-cut leaves, which impart 

 a pretty feathery appearance. The insignificant flowers are hidden 

 in the axils of the leaves. It is a free-growing subject, and is 

 very useful for covering unsightly mounds of wet soil in which 

 erect-growing plants are situated ; it thrives equally as well in 

 this position as when the stems are growing on the surface of the 

 water. 



Nelumbium luteum (Fig. 611). — This American species is a 

 very handsome Aquatic, with pale yellow flowers, but is not so 

 vigorous a grower or so floriferous under cultivation as the better 

 known Indian species N. speciosuin^ which in its other charac- 

 teristics it closely resembles. In favourable situations outside during 

 hot summers it would probably thrive better than when cultivated 

 under glass, and would produce more freely its large handsome, 

 flowers. Height 4ft. to 5 ft. N. speciosum (iV. nuciferiim, Sacred 

 Bean of India, and by some authorities reputed to be the true 

 Lotus of the Ancient Egyptians), although not now found 

 growing wild in Egypt, is commonly met with in many parts 

 of the East Indies and tropical Asia, where it is, with its 

 several varieties, held in high estimation. It is without doubt 

 the most interesting and beautiful of all tall-growing cultivated 

 Aquatics. Apart from the massive soft rosy -pink flowers which 

 are freely produced, the circular, peltate, glaucous leaves are 

 exceedingly handsome ; their upper surface is densely covered 

 with a microscopic down which renders them impervious to 

 water, the latter when dropped upon them rolling off" in globules 



