THE FLOWERING RUSH— continued. 
There may be as many as twenty or thirty of the delicate blossoms in a cluster, 
each borne on an individual stalk or pedicel, two to four inches long ; and showing in 
a striking manner that trimerous or three-parted symmetry which is typical of 
Monocotyledons. There is little or no difference between the three spreading 
oblong leaves of the outer perianth-whorl, or sepals, and the three inner ones, or 
petals, the fascinating blush of rosy pink of both whorls being exceptional in the 
Family. The same colour marks the anthers and the carpels, but in them it appears 
in a deeper shade. Unlike its ally the Arrow-head, Butomus has perfect flowers, 
each possessing both stamens and carpels ; but this by no means implies that it is 
self-pollinating. 
The presence of nine stamens in each flower is an uncommon character ; but 
careful study reveals the fact that these nine consist of an outer whorl of three, each 
branching low down into two, placed side by side, as is also the case in the allied 
Water-plantains, and an inner whorl of three unbranched ones, which do not occur 
in the Water-plantains. The anthers split down their inner surfaces, i.e. towards the 
centre of the flower. 
The carpels are also in two alternating whorls of three each, and are slightly 
united at their bases, where they exude a copious supply of nectar. Each of them 
is prolonged upwards into a short outward-bending style, which bears its stigma on 
its inner surface, the same surface as that along which the ripe carpel splits to 
discharge its seeds. It is remarkable that, as in the remotely-related Dicotyledonous 
Water-lilies, the numerous ovules are scattered over the inner surface of the 
carpels ; and that, unlike most Monocotyledons, though in this resembling many 
other aquatic plants, the numerous resultant seeds are simple in construction, not 
retaining any food-store or albumen. 
Observations show that the outer anthers ripen first and that all nine, sometimes 
at least, shed their pollen before the stigmas are ready to receive it ; so that this 
species is usually cross-pollinated by the insects attracted to its conspicuous, sweet- 
scented, and honeyed blossoms. It may, in fact, be the plant known as Bee-wort 
in Early English times, though the identity of the plant so known is by no means 
certain. Fortunately its beautiful blossoms may still be seen in summer by many a 
slow river or by standing water. 
In cultivation the plant is commonly increased by dividing the rhizome in 
spring ; but it may also be grown from seed. For this purpose, ripe seeds should 
be sown in pans of sandy soil half submerged in water ; and the seedlings may be 
pricked out into other pans of similar soil until large enough to be planted out on 
the edge of the water. If entirely submerged the plants are apt to increase 
and run to leaf ; but they flower more freely, it appears, if their supply of 
water be slightly curtailed. 
