ALTSMACE.'E. 71 



rally rising out of the water, but sometimes floating on the surface, 

 and sometimes the leaves ai-e all (or the earlier ones) reduced to 

 phyllodia, as in the genus Sagittaria; lamina 1^ to 8 inches long, 

 variable in breadth and in the shape of the base. Scape longer tlian 

 the leaves, 6 inches to 3 feet high; the flowers m a large pyramidal 

 panicle with spreading-ascending branches. Pedicels |^ to 1 inch long. 

 Flowers f inch across; the outer perianth leaves STibherbaceous, per- 

 sistent ; the mner ones pellucid, white or lilac, with a j-ellow base, soon 

 fading. Heads of fruit trigonous, depressed, i inch across. Achenes 

 olive, very numerous. Plant bright green. 



The extreme forms of vars. a and /b look very diff'erent, but they are 

 so connected by intermediate forms that I am unable to draw any line 

 between them. 



Greater Water-Plantain. 

 French, Fluteau Plantain d'eau. German, Gemeiner Froscliloffel. 



This acrid, blistering plant is said to resemble the crowfoot in its general qualities. 

 Cattle are sometimes serioasly injured by eating it. The tubers are farinaceous, 

 and in Russia are confidently recommended as a remedy in hydrophobia. Dr. 

 Withering, though not professing any credence in the facts, gives a statement 

 as to the use of this plant, furnished by Mr. Whitlaw. He calls it "a remedy 

 for the poison of the rattlesnake," and says it was purchased by the Assembly of 

 South Carolina of a negro, by giving him his freedom, and an annuity of 10'.>/. 

 for life. Mr. Whitlaw says, " In order to induce the faculty to give its virtues 

 a fair trial as an antispasmodic, I may observe that I have frequently seen cattle, 

 which have eaten the Alisma, completely paralysed, so that they could not stand. 

 As death ensues from the excessive stimulant action of the poison of the rattlesnake, 

 and of the saliva of a rabid animal upon the muscular system, I consider that a cure 

 is effected by the peculiar sedative power of the Alisma or antispasmodic relaxing the 

 spasms, and I believe it will be found to be an effectual specific for the cure of these 

 two dreadful maladies, as also of tetanus. The best mode of administering it, when 

 the difficulty of swallowing comes on, is to scrape about an ounce of the solid root, 

 and let it be eaten between two slices of bread. The dose to be repeated in an hour, 

 if the spasms are not reheved." 



Section IL— BALDELLIA. Parlat. 



Cai-pels fusiform-ovoid, with their sides not contiguous, arranged in 

 several rows on the globular receptacle. 



SPECIES II.-ALISMA RANUNCULOIDE S. Linn. 



Plates MCCCCXXXIX. MCCCCXL. 



Beicli. Ic. n. Germ, et Helv. VoL VH. Tab. LV. Fig. 97. 

 Billol, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 321G. 

 Baldellia ranunculoides, Pari. Fl. It. Vol. III. p. 596. 



Leaves with the lamina narrowly elliptical or strapshaped-elliptical, 

 gi'adually attenuated at both ends, opaque, rising out of the water ; 



