AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 189 
ance close to the ground; P. maritima has 
linear fleshy leaves; the spikes of both species 
have greenish flowers. The spikes of P. 
major are similar but much larger, and its 
leaves are broadly ovate; this is the Great 
Ribwort Plantain, present with us all summer 
and autumn ; P. dauceolata, Narrow-leafed Rib- 
wort, first shows its black heads of flowers with 
pale-yellow stamens in the spring, but lingers 
on through the season; P. media, called 
Lamb’s-tongue, in perfection in the summer, 
is a very pretty plant, with leaves flat on the 
ground, and cylindrical spikes of flowers, with 
conspicuous lilac filaments and yellow anthers. 
A very interesting little plant, forming the 
only other genus of this Order, is Lzttorella 
lacustris, “Shore-weed; it is moncecious, but 
resembles the Plantain in having 4 stamens, 
the filaments very long, no stem, but fleshy 
leaves springing from runners, frequent about 
the margins of lakes and pools; under water 
it does not flower; the flowers are white, the 
fertile ones sessile, the male with long stalks, 
A very curious structure exists in the genus 
Euphorbia, Spurge, which gives name to 
Nat. Ord. Eupnorsiace& ; the Herb Mercury, 
