Stems numerous, branched, floating near to the surface
of the water in stagnant ponds or ditches, or in quiescent
recesses of streams, and raising its small spikes of flowers
just above the surface.
The leaves, placed in whorls of 3, sometimes 4, are
deeply and pinnately divided into capillary, distant, alternate
or opposite segments. Spikes small, nodding until
the. flowers open, afterwards erect, consisting of about 6
alternate maleflowers, and a whorl of 3 or 4 female ones at
its base in the axils of the uppermost leaves. The male
flowers have a deeply divided calyx, with 4 acute, triangular
segments; 4 lanceolate, obtuse, yellow petals,marked
on the back with 3 longitudinal red lines, many times longer
than the calyx, and just covering the anthers. Anthers
linear, emarginate, yellow, with red tips and a reddish
tinge down the centre, about three times as long as their
filaments. Germen abortive. Each flower subtended by
a lanceolate, entire or serrated bractea, which does not
equal it in length. Female flower consisting of 4 oblong-
ovate, distinct pistils, closely enveloped by the tubular
calyx bearing numerous prominent glands. Sometimes one
or two female flowers are placed alternately above the
usual whorl, in which case they are subtended by a bractea
in the same manner as the males.
The whole plant is much smaller and more elegant than
M. spicatum. It has been gathered in Guernsey by myself;
in St. Leonard’s Forest, Sussex, by Mr. Borrer (by whom
the specimens figured were forwarded); at Whixhall Moss,
about six miles from Ellesmere, and also near Colemere,
both in Shropshire, by the Rev. A. Bloxam ; in the Isle of
'Wight, by Dr. Brornfield ; Braid Hills, near Edinburgh,
by Dr. J . H. Balfour; and in a small lake near to Snowdon,
by H, C. Rothery, Esq.—C. C. B.