WATERHOUSE, JOHN WILLIAM Eng lish painter, was the son of an artist, by whom he was mainly trained. As a figure-painter he shows in his work much imagi native power and a very personal style, and his pictures are for the most part illustrations of classic myths treated with at tractive fantasy. He was an able draughtsman and a fine colourist. He was elected an A.R.A. in 1885 and R.A. in 1895. Four of his paintings. "Consulting the Oracle," "St. Eulalia," "The Lady of Shalott" and "The Magic Circle," are in the National Gallery of British Art. He died in London on Feb. 1o, 1917.
See A. L. Baldry, "J. W. Waterhouse and his Work," Studio, vol. iv. (1894)• (Eichhornia crassipes), an aquatic herb of the pickerel-weed family (Pontederiaceae), native to tropical America and widely naturalized in warm regions. It is
an emersed or floating somewhat fleshy plant, bearing smooth, nearly round, erect leaves, in. to 6 in. broad, and loose clusters of pale violet, orchid-like flowers, marked with blue and yellow.
The bladder-like bases of the leaf-stalks serve as floats which keep the plant high in the water. Escaping from cultivation, it has become a troublesome weed, impeding navigation in the in land waters of many warm countries, as Florida, Java, Argentina and Australia.