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Plants For The Water Garden |
Potamogeton. This
is, perhaps, the commonest of all water
plants, not only in
this country, but
throughout the
world. For this
reason, possibly, it
is universally known
as' Pondweed.' The
leaves are narrow
and so thin as to appear transparent. The
most decorative of the half-dozen or so species
is P. lucens, with dark green veins standing
out from the pale green leaves. P. pectinatus
is the most densely growing species and is
well suited to fish breeding, and P. densum is
the most common species. All are good
oxygenators.
Hottonia or Water Violet. The leaves are
submerged and are like young bracken shoots ;
the flowers, in pale
lavender clusters,
stand about nine
inches above the
water. May be
found growing wild.
Eliocharis or Hair
Grass. This plant
grows in masses of
hair-like foliage and
not only is it a good
oxygenator, it also makes a good shelter
for young crustaceans.
Fontinalis or Willow Moss. The trailing
moss-like foliage of Fontinalis is usually found
attached to stones or the roots of waterside
trees. The best way to plant it is to tie a
sprig or two to a
stone, and in time
the stone will be
covered with a
cushion of olive
green foliage slightly tinged with red.
For some reason or
other Fontinalis attracts the floating
particles of dirt, so
if the clump is removed occasionally and
washed under the tap and returned to the
water, it will continue this cleansing process.
*Callitriche or Star
Wort. This is a most
dainty plant, with its
tender green leaves
arranged round the
stem in a star. Fishes
are particularly fond
of eating Star Wort,
and unless it is planted
thickly at the onset
it will vanish quickly.
Nevertheless, if undisturbed, it will spread amazingly ; in fact, in
some lakes it is so thickly massed that a man
could walk on the tangled mass of foliage.
* Myriophyllum or Water Miljoil. A number of species of
this most useful aquatic plant
are grown for pond and
aquarium. Fine, hair-like
leaves are closely arranged
around the stem, and from
the habit of forming dense
foliage it is splendid for fish
breeding. The best all-round
species are M. spicatum (this is the commonest
species) and M. verticillatum. Like most
submerged aquatic plants the flowers are
small, white and inconspicuous.
Utricularia or
Bladder Wort. This
is of interest in
the aquarium only,
and that because
of its carnivorous
habits. At various
points of the hair,
like stems are
small bladders
which serve as
buoys for the plant.
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