372 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
every way without breaking the ball ; water 
them in to settle the earth about the roots, 
and leave them to the ordinary care bestowed 
on bedded-out subjects. The seeds are not 
ripe till the stem is dry, but you must not let 
it remain on the plant till it loosens, or the 
wind would clear it all off in a short time ; 
when gathered, it should be put in dry bags 
or boxes until the spring, when it may be 
sown, or otherwise disposed of. 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
THE VILLARSIA. 
Villarsia nymphceoides, Ventenat (fringed 
Water-lily, or fringed Buck-bean) — Gentia- 
naceas § Menyantheas. 
This pretty subject is one of our com- 
mon water-plants, that is to say, common 
in respect to its abundance where it esta- 
blishes itself, either naturally or by artificial 
assistance, and not in respect to the number 
of localities in which it is found. It is more- 
over one of our most beautiful water-plants, 
its flowers being abundant, of a rich yellow 
colour, and prettily fringed around the margin, 
more so than our engraving fully represents. 
The plant was formerly called Bleny- 
anthes nymphcvoides. It has been, however, 
by various botanists separated from Menyan- 
thes ; " chiefly," observes Sir J. E. Smith, 
" because of its corolla having to each seg- 
ment a bordered fringed margin, while the 
base of the limb, not the middle of the disc, 
is hairy, or bearded." Besides this, Wiggers 
calls it Waldscfynidia nymphceoides. The 
genus was called Villarsia, after M. Villars, 
the author of the Flora des Dauphines. 
Villarsia nymphmoides, is a floating aquatic 
plant with round smooth stems, which are 
several feet long, repeatedly branched, and of 
a soft succulent texture. These bear the 
roundish heart-shaped leaves, which have the 
margins more or less waved or toothed, the 
surface smooth and shining, a pale variegated 
green above, and dark purple beneath. The 
leaves float on the surface of the water. The 
flowers are produced in axillary sessile umbels; 
or in other words, axillary on simple aggregate 
stalks. The calyx consists of five smooth 
lanceolate obtuse segments. The corolla is 
about an inch and a half in diameter, spread- 
ing, rotate with five spreading segments, more 
or less fringed, yellow, with a smooth darker 
radiating disc ; the orifice of the short tube 
is fringed with simple hairs. 
Though a " wild flower," the Villarsia is 
deserving a place in ornamental lakes or pools 
where aquatic plants are introduced. In such 
places it spreads considerably and is with 
difficulty extirpated. As its specific name 
implies, the general appearance of the plant 
