Lod 
ALISMACEZ. 71 
rally rising out of the water, but sometimes floating on the surface, 
and sometimes the leaves are all (or the earlier ones) reduced to 
phyllodia, as in the genus Sagittaria; lamina 1} to 8 inches long, 
yariable in breadth and in the shape of the base. Scape longer than 
‘the leaves, 6 inches to 3 feet high; the flowers in a large pyramidal 
panicle with spreading-ascending branches. Pedicels } to 1 inch long. 
‘Flowers 3 inch across; the outer perianth leaves subherbaceous, per- 
sistent ; the mner ones pellucid, white or lilac, with a yellow base, soon 
fading. Heads of fruit trigonous, depressed, + inch across. Achenes 
olive, very numerous. Plant bright green. 
The extreme forms of vars. « and look very different, but they are 
so connected by intermediate forms that I am unable to draw any line 
between them. 
| 
Greater Water-Plantain. 
| French, Pliteau Plantain @eauw. German, Gemeiner Froschloffel. 
‘This acrid, blistering plant is said to resemble the crowfoot in its general qualities. 
| Cattle are sometimes seriously injured by eating it. The tubers are farinaceous, 
and in Russia are confidently recommended as a remedy in hydrophobia. Dr. 
Withering, though not professing any credence in the facts, gives a statement 
as to the use of this plant, furnished by Mr. Whitlaw. He calls it “a remedy 
for the poison of the rattlesnake,” and says it was purchased by the Assembly of 
South Carolina of a negro, by giving him his freedom, and an annuity of 1001. 
for life. Mr. Whitlaw says, “‘In order to induce the faculty to give its virtues 
a fair trial as an antispasmodic, I may observe that I have frequently seen cattle, 
which have eaten the Alisma, completely paralysed, so that they could not stand. 
As death ensues from the excessive stimulant action of the poison of the rattlesnake, 
and of the saliva of a rabid animal upon the muscular system, I consider that a cure 
is effected by the peculiar sedative power of the Alisma or antispasmodic relaxing the 
spasms, and I believe it will be found to be an effectual specific for the cure of these 
two dreadful maladies, as also of tetanus. The best mode of administering it, when 
- the difficulty of swallowing comes on, is to scrape about an ounce of the solid root, 
and let it be eaten between two slices of bread. The dose to be repeated in an hour, 
. if the spasms are not relieved.” 
Section II.—BALDELLIA. Parlat. 
| 
| 
Carpels fusiform-ovoid, with their sides not contiguous, arranged in 
_ several rows on the globular receptacle. 
. SPECIES IL—ALISMA RANUNCULOIDES. Linn. 
| Prares MCCCCXXXIX. MCCCCXL. 
| Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. VII. Tab. LV. Fig. 97. 
| Billot, F\. Gall. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 3216. 
Baldellia ranunculoides, Parl. Fl. It. Vol. III. p. 596. 
Leaves with the lamina narrowly elliptical or strapshaped-elliptical, 
gradually attenuated at both ends, opaque, rising out of the water ; 
