388 ; LXXXIV. PLANTAGINACEZ. ' PLantago. | 
, 10. SAMOLUS. 
Celtic san, salutary, sos, a pig; a specific for the diseases of swine, says Pliny. ¢ 
Calyx partly adherent, 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. Vateranpr. Water Pimpernel. 
St. subsimple ; lvs. ovate, obtuse, radical ones on long petioles, upper ses- 
sile ; fls. racemed ; pedicels with a minute, obtuse bract near the middie: pet. 
twice longer than the sepals.—2, In wet, gravely places, throughout the world, 
frequent but not abundant. Stem if high, round, with alternate, entire, broadly 
Janceolate leaves an inch in length, and tapering to short petioles. Raecemes 
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. rLoripunpus. Kunth. Mony-flowered Samolus. 
St. branched above; Jvs. obtuse, entire, radical obovate-spatulate, petio- 
late, round-obtuse, cauline oblong, obtuse, lower petiolate, upper subsessile ; fis. 
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 Ia.! Stem 10—15’ high. Lower leaves 14” by 6”, upper 8” by 5”. . Flow- 
ers numerous, white, twice smaller than in the last. Pedicels 6—8” in length. 
July—Sept. 
ee 
Orper LXXXIV. PLANTAGINACE #.—Risworrs. 
Plants herbaceous, usually acaulescent. Lvs. mostly resulate. Fils. in spikes. 
Cal. 4-cleft, persistent. f ; 
Cor. membranaceous, the limb 4-parted, persistent. 3 
Sta. 4, inserted into the tube of the corolla, altemate with its segments. Anzh. versatile. 
a. 2-celled, sessile. Style single. 
Fr.—Pyxis membranaceous, cells 1—2 or several-seeded. 
Genera 3, species 120, scattered throughout all countries of the globe. Preperties unimportant, 
PLAN FAGO: 
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, 
Fis. spicate. 
« Leaves dilated. 
1. P. corpata. Lam, Heart-leaved Plantain. 
Lvs. 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. JI- 
2. P. major. Common Plantain or Ribwort. 
Iws. ovate, smoothish, somewhat toothed, with rather long footstalks; 
scape round; fis. imbricated; sds. numerous.—2, 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 spike. Fs. white, inconspicuous, appearing in succession all summer, 
3. P. paNceoLATa. Lance-leaved Plantain. ig 
Iws. lanceolate, tapering at each end; spikes ovate, naked; scape angular. 
