218 WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



1. D. VIRGINIA'NA, L. Leaves elliptical or ovate-oblong, obtusely acu- 

 minate ; parts of the flower chiefly in fours ; corolla subcoriaceous. 

 VIRGINIAN DIOSPYROS. Persimmon. Date Plum. 

 Fr. Le Plaqueminier. Germ. Der Pseudo-Lotus. 



Stem 20-50 or 60 feet high, and 10-15 or 20 inches in diameter, irregularly branched. 

 Leaves 2-3 or 5 inches long, subcoriaceous, green above, paler or somewhat glaucous 

 beneath ; petioles half an inch to near an inch long. Calyx of the fertile flower spreading 

 and persistent at the base of the fruit. Corotta ochroleucous or pale greenish-yellow, of a 

 thick leathery texture. Berry about an inch in diameter, reddish-orange color when 

 mature, soft and pulpy after frost. Seeds large, flattish. 



Rich bottom-lands, along streams : Middle and Southern Slates. Fl. June. Fr. Oct. - 

 November. 



Obs. The ripe fruit of this tree is sweet and luscious, after being sub- 

 jected to the action of frost ; but is remarkably harsh and astringent iu 

 a green state. The bark is astringent and tonic. The Styrax Family 

 (Stym'cea] , is nearly related to the Ebenacese. It has perfect and regular 

 flowers, with the ovary more or less adherent to the calyx. Several 

 species of Styrax belong to the Southern States. The 'Hale'sia, or 

 Silver Bell, two species of which, one with 2-winged and the other with 

 4-winged fruit, are common in cultivation, and belong to this order ; as 

 does the Symplocos (Hopea) tincto'ria, the " Horse Sugar " of the South, 

 the green sweet leaves of which being a favorite food of cattle. 



ORDER XLY. PLANT AGINA'CE^E. (PLANTAIN FAMILY.; 



Chiefly low, apparently stemless, perennial herbs, with radical, rosulate, strongly ribbed 

 leaves and small spicate flowers on scapes. Corolla membranaceous and persistent. Stamens 

 inserted on the tube of the corolla alternately with the lobes. Ovary 2-celled ; style single. 

 Capsule membranaqeous, circumscissed ; cells 1 -several-seeded. 



An Order consisting chiefly of the genus whose name it bears, and the species here 

 described are those of chief interest to the agriculturist. 



1. PLANTA'GO, L. PLANTAIN. 



[The ancient Latin name of the Plantain ; meaning obscure.] 



Calyx of 4 imbricated persistent sepals, with dry membranaceous margins. 

 Corolla salver-form, the border 4-parted, withering on the pod. Stamens 

 4, much exserted. Flowers whitish, small, bracted. 



* Pod 7 -IQ-seeded. 



1. P. major, L. Leaves ovate or oval, smoothish, obscurely dentate, 



on long petioles ; scape terete, smooth ; spike nearly cylindrical, rather 



slender and very long ; flowers somewhat imbricated ; capsule about 



6-seeded. 



GREATER PLANTAGO. Common Plantain. Way-bread. 



Fr. Plantain ordinaire. Germ. Der grosse Wegetritt. . Span. Llanten. 



Root perennial. Leaves 3-6 or 8 inches long, strongly 5-7-nerved with an elastic 

 filament in each nerve, generally smoothish (sometimes quite pilose), abruptly contracted 

 at base to a channeled petiole about as long as the leaf. Scapes several, 6-18 inches high 



