LXXXV. PLUMBAGINACE^. 389 



% Can. to Ga. Common in pastiixes and grass-lands. Easily known by its 

 longer leaves tapering at the base into a broad stalk, and with froria 3 to 5 

 strong ribs; by its shorter spike (1 — 2' long), with dark colored calyxes and 

 whitish, projecting stamens, and its slender, upright stalk (8 — 15' long) with 

 prominent angles. Flowering from May to Oct. It is freely eaten by cattle. 



4. P. MKDiA. Hoary Plantain. 



Lvs. ovate, pubescent ; spike sliort, cylindric ; scaye roimd ; sds. solitary in 

 each cell of the pyxis. — % Grows in pastures and roadsides, N. Y. and Penn., 

 flowering all summer. It has broad, flat leaves 2' long, covered with a hoary 

 down, and with short footstalks. Spikes shorter than those of P. major, being 

 1 — 3' long and about half a foot high. Flowers white, with pink filaments and 

 yellow anthers. 



5. P. ViRGiNicA. Virginian or Lesser Plantain. 



Lvs. obovate-lanceolate, hoary-pubescent, subdenticulate ; scape angular ; 

 sjnke cylindric, pubescent, with flowers somewhat remote. — A biennial species, 

 on sandy or stony hills in the southern parts of N. England and N. Y. to La., 

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

 pubescence. Scape 4—8' high, very hairy. Leaves 2 — 3' long, narrowed at 

 base into the petiole, obtuse at the end. Corolla yellowish, with very acute seg- 

 ments including the stamens. Jl. 



6. P. cucuLLATA. Lam. (P. maxima. Jacq.) Hood-leaved Plantain. 

 Lvs. ovate, slightly denticulate, 9-veined, cucullate at base, contracted into 



a long petiole ; scape terete ; spike cylindrical, short, dense-flowered ; sta, exserted. 

 — In wet, rocky situations, Me., Pursh. Scape 1 — 3f high, with a spike 2 — 3' 

 in length. Leaves large, conspicuously rolled in or hooded at base. — A doubt- 

 ful native of this country. 



7. P. GLABRA. Nutt. Smooth Plantain. 



Lvs. glabrous, ovate, denticulate ; scape slender, somewhat compressed, 

 nearly as long as the leaves ; fls. scattered ; bracts ovate, acuminate. — In arid 

 places, Ohio, Frank., Mo., Nuttall. 



8. P. GiVAPHALioiDEs. Nutt. (P. lagopus. Ph. not oi Linn.') 



Whole plant clothed with a long silky wool ; lvs. linear-lanceolate, entire, 

 very acute ; spike long, cylindric and dense-flowered ; sta. included ; caps. 2- 

 celled, 2-seeded. — Ark. 



/?. Nutt. (P. aristata. Michx.) i?racte very long and spinulose. — Prairies and 

 roadsides, 111., Mead. 



* * Leaves linear. 



9. P. MARiTiMA. (P. pauciflora. Ph.) 



Lvs. linear, channeled, nearly entire, woolly at base ; spike cylindrical, 

 close ; scape round. — Grows in salt marshes along the coast, Me. to N. J. It has 

 a large, perennial root sending' up a scape varying in height from 3' to a foot, 

 and numerous, very fleshy, dark green, linear leaves deeply grooved on the 

 inside, and G — 10' long. Spike slender, of numeroas, sub-imbricate, whitish 

 flowers. Aug. 



10. P. PUSILLA. Nutt. 



Minutely pubescent ; lvs. linear-subulate, flat, entire, somewhat fleshy ; 

 scape terete, .slender, longer than the leaves ; spike interrupted, subcylindrical, 

 loose-flowered below ; bracts ovate, acute, as long as the calyx. — ® A diminu- 

 tive species, low grounds, Penn. Leaves crowded, about 1' long the scape 2 — 3', 

 spicate § its length. 



Order LXXXV. PLUMBAGINACE^.— Leadworts. 



Plants herbaceoiLS or suffrnticose, variable in appearance. 

 Lvs. undiWded, alternate, or sometimes ail radical and the flowers on a scape. 

 Cal. tubular, 5-toothed, plaited, persistent. 



Cor. regular, hyiiocraterifbrm, of 5 petals united at base or sometimes almost distinct. 

 Sta. 5, hj'po^yiious and opposite the petals or inserted on their claws. 

 Ova. l-celled, free from the calyx. Styles 5 (seldom 3 or 4). 

 Pr. an utricle, or dehiscent by valves. Seed inverted. 

 Genera 8, species 160, mostly seaside or salt marsh plants, found in all latitudes. 



