92 PRIMROSE ORDER 



SAMOLUS Linne 1753 BROOKWEED 

 (The ancient name) 



Sepals 5, united, petals 5, white, united, bell-shaped, stamens 5, ovary 

 1-celled, capsule globose or ovoid, 5-valved from the summit; flowers in 

 terminal racemes or panicles ; leaves alternate, entire ; perennial. 

 Stems .5-1.5 ft. high; leaves obovate, 1-3 in. long; flow- 

 ers 1-2 mm. wide 6 1 . floribundus 



STEIRONEMA Rafinesque 1820 LOOSESTRIFE 



(Gr. steiros, sterile, nema, thread, from the sterile stamens) 



PL 16, fig. 2. 



Sepals 5, petals 5, yellow, stamens 5, sterile stamens 5, ovary 1-celled, 

 globose, capsule 5-valved, flowers axillary on slender stalks ; leaves oppo- 

 site or whorled, simple, entire; perennial. 

 Stems 1-4 ft. high ; leaves ovate to lance-ovate, 2-5 in. 



long ; flowers 1-2.5 cm. wide 5\ cilidtum 



PLANTAGINACEAE PLANTAIN FAMILY 



Sepals 4, united, petals 4, united, papery, stamens 4 or 2, inserted on 

 the tube or throat of the corolla, ovary 1-2-celled, or falsely 3-4-celled, 

 style slender, simple, ovules 1-several in each cell, fruit a pod or capsule 

 opening by a lid, or a nutlet, seeds 1-several in each cavity ; flowers small, 

 perfect, polygamous or monoecious, in dense terminal spikes or heads, or 

 rarely solitary ; annual or perennial stemless or short-stemmed herbs with 

 basal, opposite or alternate leaves. 



PLANTAGO Linne 1753 PLANTAIN 



(Lat. planta, sole, -ago, like, from the shape of the leaf) 

 PI. 20. fig. 1. 



Sepals 4, united, petals 4, greenish or purplish, united into a salverform 

 corolla, the tube cylindric or constricted at the throat, stamens 4 or 2, 

 ovary 2-celled or falsely 3-4-celled, ovules 1-several in each cell, fruit open- 

 ing by a lid ; flowers in terminal spikes or heads ; leaves basal or alternate ; 

 stemless or short-stemmed herbs. 

 1. Leaves linear, 1-5 mm. wide 



a. Leaves 3-6 mm. wide, gray woolly ; spikes 5-6 



mm. wide ; stamens 4 P. Purshii 



b. Leaves .5-1 mm. wide, minutely hairy; spikes 



2 mm. wide ; stamens 2 P. elongdta 



