Butomus umbellatus. 
Flowering rush, 
OR WATER GLADIOLE. 
BUTOMUS Lintuei Gen. PL Enneandria Hexagynia, 
Raii Gen. 1 7. Herb.® Multisiliqu® feu Corniculat®. 
BUTOMUS umbellatus. Lin. Spec, plant. 532. 
JUNCUS floridus major. Bauhin. pin. p. 12. 
GLADIOLUS paluftris Cordi Gerard, emac. 29. 
Raii Synopjis ed. 3. 273. Hudfon. Ft. Angl. 152. Scopoli FI. Cam. ed. 2. p. 283. Halleri hifi.pl. Heh. VoL 2. 8r. 
RADIX perennis, alba, tuberculofa, tranfverfa, edulis ? | ROOT perennial, white, knobby, tranfverfe eatable ? 
ex inferiore parte radiculas przelongas dimittens. | from its under fide fending down a great num- 
| ber of very long fibres. 
SCAPUS pedalis ad orgyalem, teres, glaber. 
% 
t STALK round, fmooth, from one to five or fix feet high, 
I according to its place of growth. 
1 , 
FOLIA triquetra, fpongiofa , fig. 1. fcapo breviora ; ad $ LEAVES triangular, fpongy, jig. 1. {horter than the 
balm fpathacea, apicibus compreffis, tortuofis. ftalk, at bottom {heathy, at top flat, and twill- 
ed. ’ 
FLORES in Umbella, ad triginta ; pedunculi digitales, 
e vaginis membranaceis prodeuntes. 
CALYX. Involucrum triphyllum, foliolis lanceolatis, 
marcefcentibus. 
FLOWERS numerous, to thirty, each on a Angle p e . 
duncle of about a finger’s length, forming an 
Umbell, furrounded at bottom by withered 
membranous {heaths. 
CALYX. An Involucrum of three leaves, fpear lhaped 
and withered. 
COROLLA. Petala fex inasqualia, fubrotunda, concava, 
rofea, Jig. 2, alternis minoribus, acutioribus. 
fg- 3 - 
STAMINA. Filamenta novem, fubulata. Jig. 4, 5. 
Anther® infidentes, dum pollinem involvunt 
oblongas, rubras, quadrifulcatie, mucrone brevi 
terminata?, Jig. 6. 7, emiflo polline fubcordata?, 
comprefla?, bilamellofte, fg. 4. Pollen flavifli- 
mum. 
PISTILLUM. Germen fubtriangulare, latere exteriore 
latiore, convexo, fg. 9. 10. Styli fex fubulati ; 
fg. 8. Stigma canaliculatum. 
PERICARPIUM. Capsul® fex, oblonga?, attenuata?, 
ere&a?, univalves, apice bilabiata?, introrfum 
dehiscentes, fg. 1 1 . 1 2. 
SEMINA plurima, minuta, oblonga, fufca, fg. 13. 
COROLLA. Compofed of fix Petals, which are round- 
ilh, concave, and mo ft commonly of a bright 
red ; fg. a. the three exterior fmaller, and more 
pointed, 3. 
STAMINA. Nine Filaments tapering, fg. 4. 5. the 
Anther® fitting on the filaments, before the 
medding of the Pollen, oblong, reddifli, having 
four grooves, and terminated by a Ihort point 
fg. 6. 7 appearing afterwards fomewhat heart 
lhaped, flat, and as if compofed of two lamella: 
Jig. 4. the Pollen is of a bright yellow colour* 
PISTILLUM, the Germen nearly triangular, the outer 
fide broad and roundilh,^-. 9 . io . fix Styles, 
tapering, the Stigma has a fmall channel in it 
which afterwards fpreads into two lips, fg. 11.12. 
SEED-VESSEL. Six Capsules, oblong, tapering, up- 
right, of one valve, opening inwards,^. 1 j . 12. 
SEEDS numerous, fmall, oblong, brown, fig. 13. 
WE find this {lately Plant in, and by the fides of our watery 'ditches flowering from July to Sebtemhn- A c™ 
years fmcc it wasifound growing m St. George' s-Vidds but the improvements making®;,, that, and othfr parts' adLe« 
to London, now oblige us to go farther in tearch of this and many other curious Plants Ahnor rbe rn j • 1 .“£5 
Helena, near Deptford, and t£e Marlhes by HSkW, it is found in great abSnce Shoth verv f * 
other parts of Great-Brhain. Filh-ponds, or other pieces of water, wfuld derive great’ blStXmX intmd V™ 7 * 
tins elegant native of our Ifle, the handfome appearance of which did not efcapf ou 3Z old Ger^°\ 
defer, bes ,t thus : “ This Water Gladiole, or Graffy-Rulh, of all others, is tSe faLTan 73 nf,sf ?„^ t 
“ and ferveth very well for the decking and trimming up of houfes, becaufe of the beautie and braverie^hereof ” ° M ’ 
That accurate obferver Ray defenbes its nine Stamina, although in his time thev were j ■ ' 
confequential light which they are in our prefent Syftems ofBotany! it is S onW Phut 1 
Enneandria which grows wild in this kingdom. If vegetables were clafled according rn rh ’ 16 C 
this would rank among thelillies® Cattle dp & eat it.’ it i f“ar™* Tear til 
