AQUARIUMS AND AQUATIC PLANTS. 
151 
our native aquatic plants. Gerarde says, " the 
grassie rush is of all others the fairest and 
most pleasant to behold, and serveth very 
Butomus umbellattts. 
well for the decking and trimming up of 
houses, because of the beautie and braverie 
thereof." It grows upright, two feet high, 
with long sharp-edged leaves, and umbels of 
flowers of different shades of red, produced at 
the top of the long stalks. It blooms in 
June and July, and is a perennial plant. 
S. latifolia, (broad-leaved,) also a perennial ; 
is from Nepal, and grows about a foot high, 
producing white flowers in June and July. 
They belong to the natural order Butomacese. 
Calla palustris, (marsh Calla,) is a peren- 
nial, with cordate leaves, and spadices of in- 
conspicuous flowers, growing six inches high. 
It is a native of North America, and belongs 
to the natural order Orontiaceae. 
Callitriche, (Water Starwort,) is a genus 
of native plants, which spread in the water in 
thick matted tufts, composed of slender stems, 
bearing small leaves, and inconspicuous flowers. 
There are three species — verna, (spring,) 
autumnalis, (autumnal,) and peduncidatus, 
(peduncled.) They may be useful to intro- 
duce in shallow water, as shelter for gold fish. 
They belong to the natural order Callitrichaceai. 
Caltha. (Marsh Marigold.) — These are 
showy perennial plants. C. pa.lustris,(common,') 
grows erect about a foot high, with roundish 
cordate leaves, and yellow flowers in April 
and May; fiore-pleno, with double yellow 
flowers, is a very ornamental variety ; it is a 
native plant, found in marshy places : the 
flower-buds before they are expanded are 
said to be a good substitute for capers. C- asa- 
rifolia, (Asarum-leaved,) from Unilasch ; C. 
parnassifolia, (Parnassus-leaved ;) C.fiabelli- 
folia, (fan-leaved,) from North America ; and 
C. minor, (smaller,) a native plant, have, all 
yellow flowers, and, with the exception of 
JltiheUifolia, are of small stature. C. nutans, 
(floating,) from Siberia, has white flowers. 
They belong to the natural order llanuu- 
culaceas. 
Cardamine. (Ladies' Smock.) — Several of 
the species grow in wet boggy places, and 
are pretty when introduced by the margin of a 
piece of water. C. pratensis, (meadow Cuckoo 
flower,) and the double variety of it, are very 
pretty plants, growing a foot high, and bearing 
light purple flowers in April and May. C. 
amara, (bitter,) is a very much smaller plant, 
with white flowers : these are native perennial 
plants, and grow in wet places. C. uliginosa, 
(bog,) a small Taurian species, with white 
flowers, is also pretty ; and so is C. latifolia, 
(broad-leaved,) which grows a foot and a half 
high, and has purple flowers from June to 
August : it is from Spain. C. granulosa, 
(granular,) C. prorepens, (creeping,) . and 
C. dentata, (toothed,) are ornamental. They 
belong to the natural order Crucifersa. 
Carex. (Sedge.) — These grow in boggy 
places ; and some of the larger ones, of a 
reed-like habit, look well on the margin of a 
piece of water. C. paniculuta, (panicled,) 
sometimes grows with a remarkable stem or 
root stock. There are a great many species, 
all perennials. They belong to the natural 
order Cyperacea?. 
Ceratopliyllum. (Hornwort.) — There are 
twounornamentalfloating species; C.demersum, 
(demersed,) C. submersum, (submersed.) They 
belong to the natural order Ceratophyllacefe. 
Elatine hydropiper, (small Water pepper,) 
and another species, called E. tripetala (three- 
petalled,) the latter also called hexandra, are 
minute annual plants, found in lakes, pools, 
and ditches, in different parts of the United 
Kingdom. They belong to the natural order 
Elatinaceaa. 
Eriocaulon. (Pipewort.) — E. septangulare, 
(seven-angled,) is a dwarf upright perennial, 
not showy, but curious. It is a native plant, 
found in wet boggy places. E. decangulare, 
(ten-angled,) grows three feet high, and is 
found in New Jersey. They belong to the 
natural order Eriocaulaceaj. 
Grasses. — There are several aquatic grasses 
which may be introduced for the sake of 
variety. Deg rapids arundinacea, (reed-like,) 
grows on river banks ; there is a variety of 
this with striped leaves. Phalaris aquation, 
(water Canary-grass,) is an annual, growing a 
foot and a half high. Alopccurus ge/dculattis, 
(jointed Foxtail-grass,) is a perennial, of 
floating habit. Catabrosa aquatica, (aquatic,) 
and C. virdula, (greenish,) floating peren- 
nials, rising a foot and a half high. 1'lirmj- 
mitis communis, (common reed,) a stately 
plant, growing six feet high ami upwards. 
Glyceria ftuitans, (floating.) and 6?. plicata, 
(plailcd,) perennials, growing about a foot and 
a hall' high. Hydrocldoa aquatica, (aquatic,) 
