N. ORD.—PLANTAGINACEZE. 107 
GENUS.—PLANTAGO,* LINN. 
SEX, SYST.—TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
PLAN TAGO, 
PLANTAIN. 
SYN.—PLANTAGO MAJOR, LINN.; PLANTA GOVULGARIS, GER. ; Apydydwacor, 
DIOSCOR. 
COM. NAMES.—PLANTAIN, BROAD-LEAVED PLANTAIN, RIB-GRASS, RIB- 
WORT, WAY-BREAD (WAY-BRED); (FR.) PLANTAIN ORDINAIRE; 
(GER.) GROSSER WEGETRITT. 
A TINCTURE OF THE WHOLE FRESH PLANT, PLANTAGO MAJOR, L. 
Description.—This cosmopolitan immigrant varies greatly in its growth, some 
individuals only attaining a height of 2 inches, others 18. oot perennial, fascicu- 
late. Leaves all radical, broad, ovate, ovate-cordate or oblong, sometimes slightly 
toothed, 5 to 7-ribbed; fetio/es deeply channelled, smooth or slightly hairy. /x/lor- 
escence 1 to several long and slender, bracted, densely floral, sub-cylindrical spikes, - 
each raised upon a naked scape; flowers all alike and perfect. Sepals 4, imbri- 
cated, persistent, membranaceous, and margined. Coro//a whitish, thin, mar- 
cescent; /odes reflexed after flowering. Stamens 4, rarely 2, much exserted; 
filaments long filiform, lengthening suddenly when the anther is ripe; anthers 
2-celled, early deciduous. P2st/ dichogamous, 2.., protruding from the flower 
tube before the anthers are ripe;}+ ovary 2-celled; s#¢gma more or less unilateral, 
fringed. Fruita 2 to 16-seeded pyxis, opening by a complete transverse fissure, 
the top falling off like a cap, and the thin partition escaping with the seeds; seeds 
somewhat fusiform ; a/bumen sarcous; embryo straight, enclosed, 
PLANTAGINACEZ8.—This small anomalous family of low acaulescent herbs 
is principally represented by the genus Plantago. Its members are characterized 
by having :. Zeaves all radical and ribbed. /Vowers spiked upon a simple scape; 
calyx 4-cleft, persistent; corol/a tubular or hypocrateriform, scarious and veinless. 
Stamens 4, inserted upon the tube of the corolla alternate with its lobes ;_/i/aments 
- persistent, long and weak. Ovary 2-celled; ovules amphitropous; sty/e single, 
long, and stigmatose. /iwt a membranaceous pyxis; dehiscence circumscissile ; 
seeds 1 to several in each cell; embryo large, mostly straight; a/éwmen sarcous. 
The mucilaginous principle of the seeds of Plantago renders them somewhat 
valuable in medicine, The Indian plantain Plantago Isphagula (P. decumbens, 
Forsk) furnishes seeds from which a mucilaginous drink is prepared and used as an 
emollient ; this species is mentioned in the native Materia Medica. The seeds of : 
* The ancient Latin name. + A help in cross-fertilization. 
