LXXXV. PLUMBAGINACE^. 389 



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

 longer leaves tapering at the base into a broad stalk, and with from 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. MEDIA. Hoary Plantabi. 



Lvs. ovate, pubescent ; spike short, cylindric ; scape round ; sds. solitary in 

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

 floM^ering 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 w^hite, with pink filaments and 

 yellow anthers. 



5. P. ViRGiNiCA. Virginian or Lesser Plantain. 



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

 spike 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. ctJCULLATA. 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., Nxdtall. 



8. P. GNAPHALioiDEs. Nutt. (P. lagopus. Ph. notof Li7in.) 



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. 



0. Nutt. (P. aristata. Michx.) Bracts very long and spinulose. — Prairies and 

 roadsides. 111., Mead. 



* * Leaves Ihiear. 



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



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

 close ; scape round.— Grows in salt inarshes 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 6—10' long. Spike slender, of numerous, sub-imbricate, whitish 

 flowers. Aug. 



10. P. PU.SILLA. 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. — (T) A diminu- 

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

 spicate § its length. 



OiiDER LXXXV. PLUMBAGINACEiE.— Leadworts. 



Plants hf rhao^oiu* or Hiil1riJli(v>so, viirinlilc in iipi>earanrc. 

 I.vn. undivided, ultcmiitu. or Romclimi's nil railicul and the flowers on a scape 

 Cat. tillndiir, 5 t(K)lh(rd. i>l:iit(;d. jHTsi^ltiit. 



Cor. rfcidiir, hyp.xral.riP.rm, o( r, p.i.ils unitrd at liafie or nomcfimca alnnosl distinct. 

 Sta. 5, hypoKytious mid oppo.sirn the putJils or iii.wrte<l on their claws. 

 Ova. 1 ccllpd, tree from the cnlyx. Sfij/i.s "i (H.ldf)m 3 or 4). 

 JFV. an utricle, or dehinrent by valves. Seed inverted. 

 Genera 8, species 160, mostly seaside or salt marsh i)lanU, foiuid in all latitudes. 



