THE RIBWORT OR PLANTAIN FAMILY 135 



THE RIBWORT or PLANTAIN FAMILY 



(Plantaginaceae) . 



This family embraces a few species of stemless weeds, with 

 inconspicuous flowers borne on long, slender spikes at the top 

 of leafless flowerstalks or "scapes." The fruit is a capsule, 

 the upper part of which, when the seeds are ripe, drops off like 

 the lid of a box. The seeds are not conspicuous by their colour 

 among grass seeds, and on account of their size and shape they 

 are difficult to separate from them. This renders a knowledge 

 of the appearance of the common kinds very important. The 

 seeds of plantains may be roughly separated into two groups, 

 according to their shape; in one division, the seeds are irregularly 

 angular, like small grains of gunpowder, e.g., Common 

 Plantain and Pale Plantain; in the other, they are boat- 

 shaped, hollow on one side and rounded on the other, e.g., 

 Narrow-leaved Plantain or Rib-grass and Bracted Plan- 

 tain. When moistened, all these seeds develop a coat of mucilage, 

 by means of which their distribution is much facilitated. 



The maiweed doth burne, and the thistle doth freat, 



the fitches pull downward, both rie and the wheat: 



The brake and the cockle, be noisome too much, 

 yet like unto boddle, no weed there is such. 



Thomas Tusser, Five Hundreth Pointes of Husbandrie, 1557. 



All Plants that do draw much nourishment from the Earth, and so soak the Earth, 

 and exhaust it, hurt all things that grow by them; .... So the Colewort is not an enemy 

 (though that were anciently received) to the Vine onely; but it is an enemy to any 

 other Plant, because it draweth strongly the fattest Juyce of the Earth. And if it be 

 true, that the Vine, when it creepeth near the Colewort, will turn way: This may be, 

 because there it findeth worse nourishment; for though the Root be where it was, yet 

 (I doubt) the Plant will bend as it nourisheth. Where Plants are of several Natures, 

 and draw several Juyces out of the Earth, there (as hath been said) the one set by the 

 other helpeth: As it is set down by divers of the Ancients, that Rew doth prosper much, 

 and becometh stronger, if it be set by a Fig-tree: Which (we conceive) is caused not 

 by reason of Friendship, but by Extraction of a contrary Juyce; the one drawing Juyce 

 fit to result sweet, the other bitter. So they have set down likewise, that a Rose set 

 by Garlike is sweeter which likewise may be, because the more Fetide Juyce of the Earth 

 goeth into the Garlick, and the more oderate into the Rose. 



Bacon, Natural History, 1652. 



