DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 211 
mostly sessile at the base, hairy-fringed. Flowers pale blue, solitary 
or 2-3 together. Calyx-lobes bristle-shaped, half the length of the 
corolla-tube. Tube of the corolla 2 in. long. Capsule shorter than 
the calyx, smooth, 8—12-seeded. A very variable species, the flowers 
often without a corolla. In dry woods and fields S.* 
Il. DIANTHERA, Gronov. 
Perennial herbs; stem smooth. Leaves opposite, entire or 
toothed. Flowers axillary, solitary or clustered, irregular. 
Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 2-lipped, upper lip erect, concave, 
entire or notched, the lower prominently veined, spreading, 
3-lobed. Stamens 2, inserted in the throat of the corolla. 
Ovary 2-celled, 4-ovuled, style simple, acute. Capsule flat- 
tened, narrowed below into a little stalk.* 
1. D. americana, L. Water Wittow. Stem erect, slender, 2-3 
ft. high. Leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, taper-pointed at the 
apex, narrowed below to the sessile or short-petioled base. Flowers 
bracted, in short spikes, on peduncles as long as the leaves. Corolla 
pale blue or purple, the tube as long as the lips, lower lip wrinkled. 
Capsule about the length of the calyx. In water S.* 
94. PLANTAGINACEZ. PLANTAIN FAmMILy. 
Annual or perennial scape-bearing herbs. Leaves usually 
all radical, with parallel ribs. Flowers small, green, usually 
spiked, regular and perfect (Fig. 21). Sepals 4, persistent. 
Corolla hypogynous, salver-shaped, thin and dry; lobes 4, 
spreading. Stamens 4, usually inserted on the corolla-tube, 
filaments thread-like, anthers large and versatile. Ovary free, 
usually 2—4-celled; style thread-like. Fruit a 1-4-celled, 
1 or more seeded membranous capsule, which splits open 
transversely, the top coming off like a lid. 
PLANTAGO, L. 
Characteristics of the genus as given above for the family. 
1. P, major, L. PxLanrarn. Perennial, from a very short root- 
stock. Leaves ovate to oval, strongly 5-9-ribbed, acute or obtuse at 
