This is a beautiful and very curious genus of plants, of which we have a number of native species, growing mostly in swampy places. They will not succeed well in the garden, unless they can have a moist, shady place, with a soil similar to that from which they were taker. The flowers are produced on leafless stems in spikes, from one to two feet high, in July and August. Some have pink, and others white, finely-fringed flowers.