LXXXV. PLUMBAG1NACE.E. 389 



^ Can. to Ga. Commou in pastures and grass-lands. Easily known by it? 

 longer leaves tapering at the base into a broad stalk, and with from 3' to 5 

 strong ribs; by its shorter spike (1 2' long), with dark colored calyxes and 

 whitish, projecting stamens, and its slender, upright stalk (8-^-15' long) with 

 prominent angles. Flowering from May to Oct. It is freely eaten by cattle. 



4. P. MEDIA. Hoary Plantain. 



Lvs. ovate, pubescent ; spike short, cylindric ; scape round ; sds. solitary in 

 each cell of the pyxis. 1\. Grows in pastures and roadsides, N. Y. and Penn., 

 flowering all summer. It has broad, flat leaves 2' long, covered with a hoary 

 down, and with short footstalks. Spikes shorter than those of P. major, being 

 13' long and about half a foot high. Flowers white, with, pink filaments and 

 yellow anthers. 



5. P. VIRGINICA. Virginian or Lesser Plantain. 



Lrs. obovate-lanceolate, hoary-pubescent,- subdenticulate ; scape angular ; 

 spike cylindric, pubescent, with flowers somewhat remote. A biennial species, 

 on sandy or stony hills in the southern parts of N. England and N. Y. to La., 

 much smaller than the preceding. The whole plant is covered with a soft, gray 

 pubescence. Scape 48' high, very hairy Leaves 2 3' long, narrowed at 

 base into the petiole, obtuse at the end. Coruita yellowish, with very acute seg- 

 ments including the stamens. Jl. 



6. P. CUCULLATA. Lam. (P. maxima. Jacq.} Hood-leaved Plantain. 

 Lvs. ovate, slightly denticulate, 9-veined, cucullate at base, contracted into 



a long petiole ; scape terete ; spike cylindrical, short, dense-flowered ; sta. exserted. 

 In wet, rocky situations, Me., Pursh. Scape 1 3f high, with a spike 23' 

 in length. Leaves large, conspicuously rolled in or hooded at base. A doubt- 

 ful native of this country. 



7. P. GLABRA. Nutt. Smooth Plantain. 



Lvs. glabrous, ovate, denticulate ; scape slender, somewhat compressed, 

 nearly as long as the leaves ; fls. scattered ; bracts ovate, acuminate. In arid 

 piaces, Ohio, Frank., Mo., Nuttall. 



8. P. GNAPHALIOIDES. Nutt. (P. lagopus. Ph. not of Linn.} 



Whole plant clothed with a long silky wool ; Ivs. linear-lanceolate, entire, 

 very acute ; spike long, cylindric and dense-flowered ; sta. included ; caps. 2- 

 celfed, 2-seeded. Ark. . s , 



0. Nutt. (P. aristata. Michx.} Bracts very long and spinulose. Prairies and 

 roadsides, 111., Mead. 



* * Leaves linear. 



9. P. MARTTIMA. (P. pauciflora. Ph.} 



Lvs. linear, channeled, nearly entire, woolly at base ; spike cylindrical, 

 close ; scape round. Grows in salt marshes along the coast, Me. to N. J. It has 

 a large, perennial root sending up a scape varying in height from 3' to a foot, 

 and numerous, very 'fleshy, dark green, linear leaves deeply grooved on the 

 inside, and G 10' long. Spike slender, of numerous, sub-imbricate, whitish 

 flowers. Aug. 



10. P. PDSILLA. Nutt. 



Minutely pubescent ; Ivs. linear-subulate, flat, entire, somewhat fleshy ; 

 scape terete, slender, longer than the leaves ; spike interrupted, subcylindrical, 

 loose-flowered below ; bracts ovate, acute, as long as the calyx. A diminu- 

 tive species, low grounds, Penn. Leaves crowded, about 1' long the scape 2 3'. 

 spicate f its length. 



ORDER LXXXY. PLUMBAGINACE^. LEADWORTS. 



Plants herbaceous or suffruticose, variable in appearance. 

 Lv*. undivided, alternate, or sometimes all radical and the flowers on a scape. 

 Cal. tubular, 5-toothed, plaited, persistent 



Cor. reeular, hypocrateriform, of 5 petals united at base or sometimes almost distinct 

 Sta. 5, hjrpogjrnoua and opposite the petals or inserted on their claws. 

 Oca. 1 -celled, free from the calyx. Styles 5 (seldom 3 or 4). 

 Fr. an utricle, or dehiscent by valves. Seed inverted. 

 Genera 8, species 160, mostly seaside or salt marsh plants, found in all latitudes. 



