388 LXXXIV. PLANTAGINACE^. Plantago. 



10. S A M L U S . 



Celtic san, salutary, mos, a pig ; a specific for the diseases of swine, says Pliny. 



Calyx partly adherentj 5-cleft ; cor. hypocrateriform, 5-cleft ; sta. 

 5, alternating with 5 scales (sterile filaments) ; caps, dehiscent at top 

 by 5 valves, many-seeded. — Herbs with alternate leaves, Fls. corym- 

 bose or racemose. 



1. S. Valerandi. Water Pimpernel. 



St. subsimple ; Ivs. ovate, obtuse, radical ones on long petioles, upper ses- 

 sile ; jis. racemed; pedicels with a minute, obtuse bract near the middle; pet. 

 twice longer than the sepals.— 7]. In wet, gravely places, throughout the world, 

 frequent but not abundant. Stem If high, round, with alternate, entire, broadly- 

 lanceolate leaves an inch in length, and tapering to short petioles. Racemes 

 terminal, long. Flowers small, white, their pedicels having a small bract near 

 the middle. Corolla twice the length of the calyx, the tube broad, the limb 

 bearing the barren filaments between its deep-cleft, obtuse lobes, and the true 

 stamens opposite the latter and alternate with the former. July — Sept. 



2. S. FLORiBUNDUs, Kimth. Many-flowered Samolus. 



St. branched above ; lis. obtuse, entire, radical obovate-spatulate, petio- 

 late, round-obtuse, cauline oblong, obtuse, lower petiolate, upper subsessile ; fls. 

 paniculate-corymbose ; pedicels filiform, with a minute, acute bract near the 

 middle ; pet. scarcely longer than the sepals.— R. I. Olney! to La., Ohio, Clark! 

 and la. ! Stem 10—15' high. Lower leaves U" by 6", upper 8" by b". Flow- 

 ers numerous, white, twice smaller than in the last. Pedicels 6 — 8" in length. 

 July — Sept. 



Order LXXXIV. PLANTAaiNACE^.— Kibworts. 



Plants herbaceous, usually acaulesc^nt. Lvs. mostly rosulate. Fla. in spikes. 

 Cal. 4-cleft, persistent. 



Cor. membranaceous, the limb 4-parted, persistent. 



Sta. 4, inserted into the tube of the corolla, alternate with its segments. Antn. versatile. 

 Ova. 2-celled, sessile. Style single. 

 Ft.— Pyxis membranaceous, cells 1—2 or several-seeded. 

 Genera 3, species 120, scattered throughout all countries of the globe. Properties unimportant, 



PLANTAGO. 

 Calyx 4 (rarely 3)-parted ; corolla marescent, with a 4-cleft, re- 

 flected border ; stamens mostly exserted and very long ; capsule 

 ovoid, 2-celled, circumscissile. — Acaulescent herbs. Lvs. all radical 



Fls. spicate. 



* Leaves dilated. 



1. P. coRDATA. Lam. Heart-leaved Plantain. 



L/vs. cordate-ovate, broad, smooth, somewhat toothed ; spikes very long, 

 flowers somewhat imbricate, lower ones scattered, with ovate, obtuse bracts. — 

 % Can. to Tenn. and N. J. Well marked by its broadly heart-shaped leaves 

 and its elongated spikes which are 6 — 8' long, and on scapes twice as high. 

 Leaves 6' long, more or less cordate at base. Corolla white, with obovate seg- 

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



2. P. MAJOR. Common Plantain or Ribv-art. 



L/vs. ovate, smoothish, somewhat toothed, with rather long footstalks; 

 scape round ; fls. imbricated ; sds. numerous.— dl- This species is a native of 

 Japan, Europe and America, is very common, always at the door and by the 

 wayside. The leaves are reputed a good external application for wounds, &c. 

 The seeds are eaten by sparrows and other small birds. The root consists of 

 long fibres. Leaves broad, flat, with about 7 veins, each containing a strong 

 fibre, which may be pulled out. Scape 1— 3f high, with a very long (5—20'), 

 cylindric .^^pike. Fls. white, inconspicuous, appearing in succession all summer. 



3. P. LAXCKOLATA. Lauce-leaved Plantain. 



Lvs. lanceolate, tapering at each end ; spikes ovate, naked ; scape angular. 



