232 



FIELD AND WOODLAND PLAN'J"^ 



is about twice the length of the calj^x, and has four lobes, the upper 

 of which is a httle broader than the others ; and the stamens are in 

 two paii's, one pair longer than the other. It will be noticed that 

 some of the flowers are larger than others, and that these are 

 perfect, while the smaller ones have no stamens. 



In the same order (Lahiatce) there is the Self-Heal {Prunella 

 vulgaris), a very common plant in moist meadows, flowering from 



July to the end of the 

 summer. The lower por- 

 tion of the stem of - this 

 plant usually rests on the 

 ground and roots at the 

 nodes, but from this 

 arises the erect branches, 

 four to ten inches high, 

 bearing pairs of oval or 

 oblong, slightly - toothed 

 leaves ; and a dense ter- 

 minal spike of whorled 

 flowers immediately above 

 the last pail'. The lipped 

 corolla is of a violet or 

 purple colour, usually 

 about half an inch long. 

 During the flowering stage 

 the spike is very short, but 

 as the fruits ripen it 

 lengthens out to about an 

 inch and a half or two 

 inches. 



Coming now to the 

 Plantains (order Plantaginacece) we have two species to note, both 

 of which are very abundant on pasture land. One is the Greater 

 Plantain [Plantago major) — a very low plant, with a short, thick 

 rootstock, and a radical cluster of spreading or ascending leaves 

 with grooved stalks. These leaves are ovate, nearly as broad 

 as long, and traversed by five, seven, or nine strong parallel 

 veins which converge into the stalk at the base. Each 

 little flower of the long, slender spike has four sepals ; a corolla 

 with a tube and four spreading lobes ; and four stamens that 

 project beyond the corolla. The fruit is a small capsule which 



THE Ribwort Plantain. 



