44 PLANTAGINACEA,—SOLANACEE, 
A blue-flowered form, A. coerulea, is also found occasionally. The pim- 
pernel has been reported to render the chaff from oat crops infested by the 
weed unpalatable to stock. In pastures the weed is usually untouched. 
Ks Eaten in quantity, it exercises a diuretic action, and it has narcotic 
properties, sufficiently pronounced for it to be classed as a poisonous plant. 
An extract is sometimes used to expel leeches from the nostrils of dogs in. 
India, and when swallowed has been known to produce fatal results. 
PLANTAGINACEZ (PLANTAIN FamILy). 
The plants of this order have a bitter, somewhat astringent taste, render- 
ing them more or less unpalatable. Three common weeds belong to this 
order. The small flowers, grouped in chaffy heads or spikes'on a Jong 
stalk, readily characterize the order. 
Plantago lanceolata, L. The narrow-leaved Plantain, Rib Wort, or 
Rib “Grass.’’ This troublesome weed, though not actively injurious or 
poisonous, takes up the place of better vegetation on pasture land. Stock 
only eat it sparingly when better fodder plants are available, and hence 
it is apt to increase and spread unduly. It is of some use on poor, neglected, 
uncultivated, and unmanured land, but is essentially a low grade pasture 
plant, although highly recommended by various Victorian seedsmen, and 
commonly sold in grass mixtures. In the United States, Rib ‘‘grass’’ is 
considered to be of comparatively little value for cattle as compared with 
other forage plants, even on primitive pastures, though yielding a little 
late feed. In England, special care is taken to avoid the introduction of 
this plant to pasture or arable land with agricultural seed. Even on poor 
land, its presence does not improve the land as leguminous plants do, but 
rather tends to its deterioration. Once established, it is very difficult to 
suppress. The land must be ploughed, the perennial roots raked out, the 
soil stirred and hoed to destroy seedlings, and placed under a well manured 
root crop for at least one season before seeding down again. 
Plantago major, L. Broad-leaved Plantain. A native of Europe, 
Asia, and Africa. This weed is somewhat similar, but is principally found 
near habitations, and is not likely to do any great harm. 
Plantago Coronopus, L., is a small cosmopolitan plantain, quite useless,. 
and widely spread, especially on poor, hard, dry soil. Its abundant pre- 
sence on a pasture may be taken as an indication that the soil needs stir- 
ring, cultivation, and manuring. It is called the Buckshorn Plantain. 
SoLanace& (Potato Famity). 
A large order which, although it includes such useful plants as the 
Potato and Tomato, also includes many troublesome weeds and dangerous 
poison plants. Sepals, petals, and stamens are five in number, and the 
superior ovary is composed of two carpels. The anthers usually form a 
yellow cone in the centre of the flower. The plants are herbs or shrubs,. 
often spiny, and sometimes densely woolly. ; 
Solanum sodomeum, L. The Apple of Sodom, often wrongly called 
the Kangaroo Apple, which is a native plant, Solanum aviculare, Forst. 
Both have flowers like those of the potato, and rather apple-like fruits. 
2s" But the Apple of Sodom is bitter and poisonous, its leaves are much 
divided and prickly, and prickles occur also on the stem and calyx. The 
Kangaroo Apple is supposed to be edible, the plant is not prickly, and 
the leaves are either simple or with two or three large lobes. 
The Apple of Sodom is an introduced plant—a native of Africa— 
obnoxious, not only on account of its prickly character, but also as being 
highly poisonous. It is widely spread, and owing to its continued increase- 
