PLnMBAGINACEiE. 250 STATICE 



Well marked by its broadly heart-shaped leaves and its elongated spikea 

 which are 6 — 8 inches long, and on scapes twice as high. Leaves G inches 

 long, more or less cordate at base. Corolla white, with obovate segments. 

 Pjxis a third longer than the calyx, with 2 seeds in each cell. Jn., Jl, Per. 



Heart-leaved Plantain. 



6. P. Virgi'nica. 



Leaves obovate-lanceolate, hoary-pubescent, subdenticulate ; scape angular ; 

 sp(7ie cylindric, pubescent, with flowers somewhat remote. A biennial 

 species, on sandy or stony hills in tly^ southern parts of N. England and N. Y. 

 much smaller than the preceding. The whole plant is covered with a soft 

 grey pubescence. Scape 4 — 8 inches high, very hairy. Leaves 2 — 3 inches 

 long, narjowed at base into the petiole, obtuse at the end. Corolla yellowish, 

 with very acute segments including the stamens. Jl. ViroiniajiPlantam. 



ORDER LXXXVI. PLUMBAGINACE^. The Leadzvon Tribe. 



Oil. — Tubular, 5-tooihed, plaited, persistent. 



'Cor. — Regular, hypocrateriform, ol' 5 petals united at base or sometimes almost distinct. 



Sta. — 5, iiypogynous and opposite the petals or inserted on their claws. 



Ova. — 1-celled, free t'rom the calyx. Styles 5 (seldom 3 or 4). 



Fr. — An utricle, or dehiscent by valves. Seed inverted. 



The species of this small order are various in appearance, generally perennial herbs, 

 sometimes shrubby. Leaves undivided, alternate or sometimes all radical and the flowers 

 on a scape. Tliey are mostly seaside or salt marsh plants, found in all latitudes. 



Properties. The root ofStatice Limonium is one of the best and most powerful of all 

 astringents. The species of Plumbago are acrid and escharolic, so much so, that the roots 

 of P. EuropaDus are said by Lindley to be employed in Europe by beggars, to raise blisters 

 on tlie face, in order to excite compassion. 



STA'TICE. 

 Caljx infiindibuliform, the limb entire, plaited, scarious; 

 petals 5 ; stamens 5, inserted on the claws of the petals; 

 styles 5 ; fruit indehiscent, invested with the persistent calyx. 



Gr. ora'nc^a), to stop; for, when used medicinally, this plant stops diarrhoea, 

 says Pliny. Herbs, rarely shrubby. Lvs. siniple, entire, alternate or radical.. 

 Fls. in spikes or heads. Cor. of 5 petals contracted and united at base, dilated 

 upwards, longer than the stam. Ova. globose, minute. Utricle 1-celled, 

 1-valved, with 5 points and a solitary seed. 



1. S. Limo'NIUM. L. S. Carcliniana. Walt. 

 Scape terete, paniculate; haves all radical, ovate-lanceolate, undulate, 



smooth, obtuse, mucronate below the tip. Salt marshes. Scape about a foot 

 high, with several lanceolate, clasping bracts, and supporting at top a broad, 

 branching panicle composed of close, secund spikes of sessile, blue flowers. 

 Petals obovate, unguiculate, bearing the stamens on. their claws. Leaves 

 narrow, lanceolate, broader in the upper half, smooth, veinless, on long 

 petioles. The root is large, ligneous, strono-ly astringent, much valued in 

 medicine. Aug. — Oct. Per. Marsh Rosemary. 



2. S. Arme'ru. 



Scape simple, terete, capitate ; haves linear, flat. Native near the coast. 

 Middle and Southern States. A neat, elegant plant, cultivated. Leaves all 

 radical, lon^r, linear, obtuse. Scape a foot high, bearing a teritnnal head of 

 handsome, rose-coloied flowers, in the summer months. Flowers subtended 

 bv bracts. The capitum hasalso a 3-leayed involiicre. Per. Thrift. 



