82 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Figure XII 



Downy Rattlesnake Plantain 

 Peramium pubescens (Willdenow) 

 (MacMillan) 



bearing several lanceolate scales, 

 from a branching, fleshy, perennial 

 rootstock. Leaves all near the base 

 of the scape, I to 3 inches long, two- 

 thirds to i inch wide, pointed at the 

 apex, rather abruptly contracted into 

 short petioles, oval or ovate in shape, 

 rather strongly reticulated with white 

 along the principal veins on the upper 

 surf ace, pale green beneath. Flowers 

 white or tinged with green, forming 

 a rather dense terminal spike which 

 is not one-sided ; each flower about 

 one-fourth of an inch long or slightly 

 less; lateral sepals ovate; upper 

 sepals united with the petals to form 

 an ovate hood (galea) ; lip saccate 

 with a short broad blunt recurved 

 or spreading tip. 



In dry woods, Maine to Ontario 

 and Minnesota, south to Florida and 

 Tennessee. Flowering in July and 

 August. 



The Lesser Rattlesnake Plantain 

 (Peramium ophioides (Fer- 

 nald) Rydberg) is only about 6 to 

 10 inches high, with smaller, ovate, 

 white-blotched leaves and small, 

 greenish white flowers, one-eighth 



to one-sixth 

 a one-sided 

 woods. 



of an 

 spike. 



inch long 

 Frequent 



in 

 in 



