180 HEPTANDRIA. [CL. VII. 



England : rare. The roots have a good deal of acrimony. An infusion 

 of them in vinegar, formed into a syrup by the addition of sugar or 

 honey, is said to be a good expectorant and diuretic. Eng. Bot. vol. ii. 

 pi. 133. Eng. Ft. vol. ii. p. 202. 573. 



POLYGYNIA. 

 26. ALIS'MA. WATER FLINT A IN. 



Calyx inferior, of three egg-shaped, permanent leaves. Petals 

 three, roundish, much larger than the calyx, deciduous. Filaments 

 awl-shaped, short ; anthers roundish. Germen superior, more 

 than five. Styles simple; stigmas blunt. Capsules more than 

 five, compressed. Seeds small, solitary. Named from alis, the 

 Celtic for water. 205. 



1. A. Plantdgo. Great Water Plantain. Leaves egg-shaped, acute ; 



capsules obtusely triangular. Root fibrous : leaves all radical, on long 



stalks, erect : flower-stalk several feet high, panicled : flowers terminal, 

 solitary, pale-purplish. Perennial : flowers in July : groves in ditches, 

 pools, lakes and rivers : common. Eng. Bot. vol. xii. pi. 837. Eng. Fi. 

 vol. ii. p. 203. 574. 



2. A. Damasonium. Star-headed Water Plantain. Leaves oblong, 



heart-shaped at the base j capsules awl-shaped ; styles six. Root 



fibrous: leaves all radical, floating : flower-stalks about six inches high, 

 bearing one or two whorls of white flowers. Perennial : flowers in June 

 and July : grows in ditches and pools in England: not common. Eng. 

 Bot. vol. ixiii. pi. 1615. Eng. Fl. vol. ii. p. 204. 



3. A. ndtant. Floating Water Plantain. Leaves elliptical, obtuse; 



capsules striated ; flower-stalks simple. Stems floating, thread-shaped, 



from three to ten feet long. Flower-stalks from the joints of the stem, 

 erect, single-flowered. Petals large, white, with a yellow spot near the 

 claw. Perennial : flowers in July and August : grows in lakes : rare. 

 North Wales and Cumberland. Near Stranaer, Scotland. Howth Hill 

 and Cunnemara, Ireland. Eng. Bot. vol. xi. pi. 775. Eng. Fl. vol. ii. 

 p. 204. 576. 



4. A. ranunculoldes. Lesser Water Plantain. Leaves between linear 

 and lance-shaped; capsules angular, acute, numerous, in a globular 



head ; stem none. Root fibrous : leaves all radical, erect, on long 



stalks : flower-stalks radical, erect, from three to ten inches high, with 

 one or two whorls of pale-purplish flowers. Perennial : flowers in 

 August : grows in ditches and bogs : not common. Eng. Bot. vol. v. 

 pi. 326. Eng. Fl. vol. ii. p. 205. 577. 



CLASS VII. HEPTANDRIA. 



Plants bearing Flowers -with Seven Stamens. 

 Order I. MONOGYNIA. One Pistil. 



1. TRIENTA'LIS. Calyx of seven leaves. Corona deeply divided 

 into seven segments. Capsule seven-valved. 



