Root creeping. Stem from 1 to 2 feet high, upright, round, solid, 
leafy, unbranched, smooth. Root-leaves long, strap-shaped, entire, 
triangular at the base, the intermediate spaces between the angles 
being flat ; (not concave, as in Sparganium ramosam ;) sword- 
shaped, and elongated in their upper part. Stem-leaves alternate, 
somewhat sheathing at the base. Heads of Flowers alternate, all 
sessile, on one common stalk, except the lowest one or two, which 
are sometimes elevated on a short partial stalk ; those of the sterile 
flowers above, yellow ; those of the fertile ones below, greenish. 
Calyx green, or not of so deep a brown as in Spar, ramosum. 
Anthers pale yellow. Stigma long, strap-shaped, mostly solitary. 
Whole plant smooth, of a yellowish-green, and much smaller 
than Sparganium ramosum, except the flowers, which are larger 
than those of that species. — Mr. Lightfoot, (like Linnaeus,) 
comprehended this and Spar, ramosum under the common name 
of erectum : but he mentions the present species as the most com- 
mon variety in Scotland. 
The Natural Order, Typha'ce.e, is composed of monocotyledon- 
ous herbaceous plants , growing in marshes, or ditches. Their stems 
are without nodi (knots). Their leaves rigid, sword-shaped, with 
parallel veins. Their flowers are monoecious, and arranged upon a 
naked spadix (figs. 1 & 2.) Their perianth (see folio 33, note + ) 
is 3- or more-parted (figs. 2 & 4). Their stamens 3 or 6 in num- 
ber ; with long slender filaments ; and wedge-shaped, upright 
anthers (fig. 2). The ovary (see fig. 4.) is single, superior, and 
] -ceiled. The ovule solitary, and pendulous; the style short, with 
1 or 2, simple, strap-shaped stigmas. The fruit (see figs. 5 & 6.) 
is dry, and indehiscent. with 1 cell and 1 seed. The embryo, 
which is contained in the centre of the albumen, is cylindrical, and 
straight, with a cleft in one side, in which lies the plumule, with 
the radicle next the hilurn. 
The order contains but two British genera, Typha and Spar- 
ganium. 
“ Little streams have flowers a many, 
Beautiful and fair as any ; 
Typha strong, and green Bur-reed ; 
Willow- herb* with cotton-seed ; 
Arrow -head f with eye of jet, 
And the Water -violet | ; 
There the Flowering-rush || you meet, 
And the plumy Meadow-sweet $ / 
And in places deep and stilly. 
Marble-like, the Water-lily If.” 
Mary Howitt. 
* Epilobium, see folio 14. 
t Hottonia palustris. 
5 Spircca ulmaria. 
f Sagittaria sagittifolia, folio 109. 
|| Butomns umbellatus, folio 34. 
1 Nymph aa alba, folio 181 & 182. 
