PLANTS OF BERMUDA. 47 



4, /. officinale (White Jasmine). A smooth, climbing shrub, with 

 opposite, pinnate leaves ; leaflets three to seven, ovate-lanceolate, 

 * acute; cymes terminal, few-flowered ; calyx-teeth slender, half the 

 length of corolla-tube. Flowers white, very fragrant. 



Nat: Ord : 41. Planiaginaeea. 



Herbaceous, stemless plants, with radical leaves and inconspicuous 

 flowers arranged in spikes ; calyx foiur-parted, persistent ; corolla 

 membranous, four -parted, inserted under ovary ; stamens four, in- 

 serted in corolla and alternate with its lobes ; filaments long, slender, 

 persistent ; anthers large, attached by middle ; style simple ; cap- 

 sule membranous, splitting crosswise, two to four celled, cells one 

 or few seeded. 



I. PLANTAGO. 



1. P. major (English Plantain). A perennial plant ; leaves large, 

 ovate, irregularly toothed on the wavy margin, six to eight inches 

 long, four to six broad, petioles four to six inches long. Scapes 

 axillar)% nearly a foot long, terminating in a slender, whip -like 

 spike of nearly equal length ; flowers supported by ovate, concave 

 bracts length of calyx, lobes of the latter ovate, blunt; capsule 

 ovoid, crowned with persistent limb of corolla, containing eight to 

 sixteen seeds. Distribution, Europe, America, &c. ; habitat, com- 

 mon everywhere. Flowers greenish-white, inconspicuous; Febru- 

 ary to June. 



An infusion of this and the following species is used in Bermuda 

 as a cooling laxative drink, and the seeds are a favourite food for 

 birds. 



2. P. lanceolata (Ribwort). A perennial plant ; leaves narrow 

 lanceolate, six to eight inches long, about one inch wide, acute and 

 tapering at base into a long, channelled petiole, strongly three to 

 five ribbed, smooth or somewhat woolly ; scape angular, eighteen 

 inches high, terminating in a dense, ovate spike, about one inch 

 long ; bracts ovate, pointed ; two lower calyx-lobes united ; stamens 

 very long, white ; capsule oblong, one-seeded. Distribution, 

 Europe, America, «S:c. ; habitat, common everywhere. Flowers in- 

 conspicuous ; almost all the year round. 



3. P. Virginica. A biennial plant ; leaves about three mches long 

 and one wide, obovate, lanceolate, distantly toothed, pubescent, 

 blunt-pointed, tapering at base into a short petiole ; scape erect, 

 angular, hairy, about six inches long ; spike cylindrical, three to 

 four inches ; flowers somewhat distant below ; corolla lobes erect, 

 including the stamens ; capsule ovoid, two -seeded. Distribution, 

 United States ; habitat, a rare plant in Bermuda. It was collected 

 some years since by Governor Lefroy, and also grew near my house 

 until about three years ago, when it disappeared, owing apparently 

 to poultry picking off and eating the unexpanded flower -buds. 

 Flowers yellowish ; spring months. 



