PRIMULALES. 



. 507 



Anagallis arvenHs is a little weed from Europe. 



Order Flantaginaceee. — The Plantain Family. Herbs, mostly with 

 radical leaves ; placenta central, not free ; ovules usually many, fixed 

 by their ventral face. This anomalous order appears to be more at 

 home in this Cohort than anywhere else. It disagrees with the charac- 

 ters given for the Cohort in its ovary being for the most part two-celled. 



FlQS. 433-5.— tLLUBTBATIOHS OS Ahxgallis abvsnbis. 



A 



J 



Pig. 434. 



Fig. 433. Pig. 435. 



Pig. 483.— Section of yonn? flower-bud. I, calyx ; c, corolla ; a, stamens ; X, pis- 

 til ; S, placenta. B, gynoecium farther advanced. C, gyncecium ready for fertiliza- 

 tion. 3, young fruit. (After Sachs.) 

 " :n iied. 



Magnified, g, seeds. 



Pig. 434.— Ripe fruit. Magn fled. 

 Pig. 435.— Dehiscent fruit. " 



Otherwise its agreement is so marked as to allow us to regard it as a 

 group of degraded Primulales. The species number about fifty, and 

 are found in all temperate regions. 



Plantago major, the common Plantain, is found everywhere in door- 

 yards. 



Order Plumbaginacese. — Herbs or barely woody plants, with 

 leaves radical or cauline ; ovary one-celled, one-ovuled. About 300' 

 species are known, distributed throughout temperate climates. 



