232 



PI ELD ANt) WOODLAND PLANTS 



is about twice the length of the calyx, and has four lobes, the upper 

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

 two pairs, one pair longer than the other. . It will be noticed that 

 some of tlie flowers arc larger than others, and that these are 

 perfect, while tlie smaller ones have no stamens. 



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

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



July to the end of the 

 summer. The lo\\er ])or- 

 tion of the stem of this 

 plant usually rests on the 

 ground and roots at the 

 nodes, but from this 

 arises the ei'ect branches, 

 four to ten inches high, 

 bearing pairs of oval or 

 oblong, sUghtly - tootlied 

 leaves ; and a dense ter- 

 minal spike of whorled 

 flowers immediately above 

 tlie last pair. The lipped 

 corolla is of a violet or 

 purple colour, usually 

 al)Out 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 Planlaginarea') we have two species to note, both 

 of whicli are very alnmdant 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. Tlie fruit is a small capsule which 



THE lilBWORT PLANTAIN. 



