X.— THE FLOWERING RUSH. 
Butomus umbel latus Linne. 
I T is only by relatively unimportant or inconstant characters that the small Family 
of the Butomace<e, which takes its name from this beautiful water-plant, is separated 
from the larger Family Alismace# , the Water-plantains. The chief distinction 
is that in the Butomace<e there are many ovules in each carpel, while in the Alismace# 
there are but from one to three. In both groups the smooth simple leaves rise, in 
most instances, from an underground stem ; and in both the perianth is of six 
leaves, two alternating circles of three each, of which at least the inner three are 
petaloid in texture. The stamens are not less than six in number, though sometimes 
more, and are inserted under the carpels; while these latter are also either six or 
more in number, and are usually quite separate from one another. 
The genus Butomus derives its name— a name that dates from Theophrastus in 
the fourth century b.c. — from the Greek y8ov?, bous, an ox, and Teju.i'w, temno , I cut, 
because the leaves of the plant to which this name was originally applied were apt to 
cut the mouths of cattle browsing upon them. The one species which constitutes 
the present genus takes its specific name of umbellatus from the umbel-like arrange- 
ment of its flower-clusters ; but the English name Flowering Rush is most 
misleading in its suggestions, since the plant is by no means closely related to the 
true Rushes, while, though the flowers of those plants have not the conspicuous 
beauty of those of Butomus , they are just as truly flowers. 
Our drawing is taken from a young plant ; but at a later stage a creeping 
rhizome develops in the mud ; and this is baked and eaten in Northern Asia. It 
has, when not cooked, acrid and bitter properties which led to its use in medicine in 
former times ; but now the plant is valued only, as Gerard says, “ because of the 
beautie and braverie thereof.” 
It will be noticed that the leaves, which are sometimes as much as four feet long 
and rise erect for some distance above the surface of the water, are triangular in 
section, like a rapier, and are sheathing at their bases ; whilst the inflorescence is 
borne aloft on a stout cylindrical, or slightly tapering, stalk, which is also often two, 
three, or even more feet in length, so as generally to overtop the leaves at the time 
of flowering. It is remarkable that even the flower-stalk is often suffused with a 
tint of the red colour that characterises most of the floral organs, as if some warm 
blood were coursing through its veins. The head of flowers is enclosed at first 
by several thin membranous brownish bracts, each tapering to a slender point ; 
and the arrangement of the flowers appears at first sight to be a simple umbel. On 
examination, however, it will be found that the first flower to open is a central terminal 
one, and that the rest form three cymes or branch-systems, with lateral branches 
given off in succession on the same side, each known technically as a bostryx. 
