OKDEK MONOGTNIA. 
163 
kaluptra^ a covering, and morphe^ form). The cup is capable 
of containing a gill or more of water, with which liquid it 
is usually filled. The scape grows to the hight of one or two 
feet, bearing a single, large, purple flower. This plant is found 
in swamps ; its common name. Side-saddle flower, is given in 
reference to the form of its leaf ; it is sometimes called Adam's 
cup. ISTo foreign plant, as an object of curiosity, can exceed 
this native of our own swamps ; it is well worth the trouble of 
cultivation by those who are fond of collecting rare plants.* A 
natural order, Sarraceniaceoe^ which has this plant for its type, 
is considered as allied by Sarracenia to the crow-foot tribe, and 
by Heli amphora, a South American genus, to the poppy tribe. 
231. The white Pond-lily {NympliCBa)\ is a splendid American 
plant ; the flowers are large, showy, and fragrant. The gradual 
change within from greenish sepals to white petals, and the 
petaloid filaments showing the gradual progress of stamens to 
petals, render this plant a good illustration of the transforma- 
tion of these organs. The thickened rhizoma extends in muddy 
soil to a great length, giving off leaves and flowers which ap- 
pear as if floating on the surface of the water of ponds and 
lakes. The yellow Pond-lily {Nuphar\ though less showy, is 
equally curious in its structure, and belongs to the same natu- 
ral family, Nymphceacece^ in which is placed the new plant, 
Victoria regina^ found in South America ; it is one of the 
largest aquatic plants known ; the flowers are a foot in diame- 
ter, and the leaves from four to six feet. In the class Poly- 
andria is the Tea-tree (Thea) ; of this plant there are two 
species, the bohea tea {boJiea)^ and the green tea {viridis). It is 
a small evergreen tree or shrub, much branched, and covered 
with a rough, dark-colored bark ; it is a native of China and 
Japan. On account of the jealous policy of the Chinese, the 
natural history of the Tea-plant is little known. Tea was intro 
diiced into Europe by the Dutch East India Company, in the 
year 1666 ; for many years its great price limited its use to 
the most wealthy. The Camellia Japonica, and some other 
favorites of florists, are placed in the Natural family with the 
Tea plants. The numerous stamens of the poppy {PapamT) 
stand upon the receptacle around the base of the ovary ; its 
large stigma, with the two caducous sepals, are conspicuous 
characters. Single poppies have but four petals ; but the 
change of stamens to petals is very common in this flower. 
From the papmer somniferum is obtained the opium of com- 
* Pee Plate iii., Fig. 5. 
f An extensive locality of this plant exists upon the Saratoga Lake r ha surface for a quarter of a 
nile may be seen whitened by these lilies, occasionally intermixed with the yellow lilies, and the rioh 
^Ine of the Pontederia, another beautiful aquatic plant. 
231. Pond lilies— Victoria regina — Tea-tree — Poppy — Opium. 
