172 



POPULAK FLORA. 



WiNTERBERRY H. Or Black 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. I. verticillaia. 



55. EBONY FAMILY. Order EBENACEiE. 

 Of this small family, we have only one species, a tree, whicli deserves notice, viz. : • — 



423 Persimmon. JHospyroi. 



Tree with alternate thickish leaves; 

 in their axils some trees bear clustered 

 stamina^e flowers, with a 4-cleft corolla 

 and about 16 stamens; others single and 

 larger perfect flowers, with a 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 a plum-like fruit, which is 

 very astringent when green, but sweet 

 and yellow and eatable after frosts, con- 

 422 ,25 ,24 taining 8 large and bony flat seeds. 



♦22. Ferule flower. 423. Corolla and elamens of Ihe same, laid open. D. Viroinidna. 



424. Fruil. 425. Section of Ibe same. 



56. PLANTAIN FAMILY. Order PLANTAGINACEJE. 

 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 

 salver-shaped, thin, withering on the pod, 4-lobed. Stamens 4, generally with very long 

 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 faUing out with the 

 seeds. Leaves generally with strong ribs. 



1. Common Plantain. Leaves ovate or 



slightly heart-shaped, several-ribbed ; 

 seeds 7 to 16. P. major. 



2. Virginia P. Small (2' to 7' high), hairy; 



leaves oblong, 3-6-ribbed; seeds 2. 



P. Virffinica, 



3. English P. or Eipple-Gkass. 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 .„ _ ... n. .-.»,. . ., j .„„ „ 



./ ' T» . . 426. Young Bpilteef common Plantain. 427 A flower magnified. 428 Pis. 



coast. P' VKZrihmct. til of the aame. 429. Fruit, opening by a lid , the withered corolla on lb« 



lid. 



