172 POPULAR FLORA. 
2. WINTERBERRY H. or Buack ALDER. Leaves thin and deciduous, serrate, veiny, obovate or ob- 
long; peduncles very short; parts of the blossom often in sixes; fruit red. Shrub: low grounds. 
This belongs to the section Prinos. 
T. verticillata, 
55. EBONY FAMILY. _ Order EBENACEA. 
Of this small family, we have only one species, a tree, which deserves notice, viz. : — 
423 Persimmon. Diospyros. 
422 425 
24 
11422, Fertile flower, 423. Corolla and stamens of the same, laid open. 
4%, Fruit. 425. Section of the same. 
Tree with alternate thickish leaves; 
in their axils some trees bear clustered 
staminate flowers, with a 4-cleft corolla 
and about 16 stamens; others single and 
larger perfect flowers, with « 4-lobed 
corolla and 8 stamens. Calyx 4-cleft, 
rather large, thickish. Corolla pale yel- 
low. Pistil one, with 4 styles: the ovary 
ripening into 2 plum-like fruit, which is 
very astringent when green, but sweet 
and yellow and eatable after frosts, con- 
taining 8 large and bony flat seeds. 
D. Virginiana. 
56. PLANTAIN FAMILY. Order PLANTAGINACES. 
Consists mainly of the genus of low stemless herbs called 
} 
Plantain (or Rib-Grass). Plantago. 
Flowers greenish, on a scape, in a close spike. — Calyx of 4 persistent sepals. Corolla 
ralver-shaped, thin, withering on the pod, 4-lobed. 
and weak filaments, borne on the corolla. Style and stigma one, slender. Pod 2-celled, 
opening crosswise, the top falling off as a lid, the loose partition falling out-with the 
seeds. Leaves generally with strong ribs. 
1. Common Puiantain. Leaves ovate or 
slightly heart-shaped, several-ribbed ; 
seeds 7 to 16. P. major. 
2. Vireinta P. Small (2! to 7! high), hairy; 
leaves oblong, 8-5-ribbed; seeds 2. 
P. Virginica. 
3. Eneuign P. or Rippie-Grass. Hairy, 
with long lance-shaped or linear leaves, 
and a short and thick spike or head, on 
a scape 1° or 2° high; seeds 2. Com- 
mon E. P. lanceolata. 
4. SEASIDE P. Smooth; leaves linear, thick 
' and fleshy; seeds 2. Salt marshes on the 
' Coast. 
Stamens 4, generally with very long 
428 
427 429 426 
38 426, Young spike of common Plantain. 427. A flower magnified. 428. Pia- 
P. maritima. He of theaame, 429. Fruit, opening by a lid; the withered corolla on the 
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