110 TETRANDKIA MONOGVNIA 



Herbaceous: stemless; leaves all radical ; flowers in spikes, on axillary wr inter- 

 foiiaceous scapes, bractealo. Nat. Oni. 182. LindL Plantacinbjt 



t. P. major, L. Leaves ovate, or oval, subdentate, smoothish, o» 

 longish petioles; spike cylindric, or a little tapering, very long; flowers 

 imbricated ; capsule many-seeded. Beck, Bot. p. 293. 

 Greater Plaxtago, Vulgo — Common, or great Plantain. Way bread. 

 Gall -Plantain ordinaire. Gerw.-Der grosse Wegcrich. ///sp.-Llanten. 

 Root perennial. Leaves spreading on the ground. 3 to 6 or 8 inches long, and 2 

 to 4 or 5 inches wide, more or less ovate, or oval, 5 to 7-nerved, with coarse ob- 

 scure teeth, generally smooth ish, (sometimes quite pilose.) narrowed abruptly ai 

 base to a petiole about as long as the leaf; petiole nerved, channelled above. 

 -Staphs several, 6 to 18 inches high, inclusive of the spike*, which vary from 2 to 12 or 

 13 inches in length. Urartu lanceolate, mostly acute, one to each (lower, shorter 

 than the calyx. Calyx persistent ; segments lance-ovate, keeled. Corolla whitish. 

 inconspicuous, ventricose below, contracted into a neck above, shrivelling, and 

 remaining on the ovary. Stamens about twice as long as the corolla. Style c\- 

 sertcd, persistent. Capsule lance-ovoid, somewhat compressed, obtuse at apex. 



llab. Moist rich grounds: foot-paths, &c. common. Fl. June— Sept. Fr. Aug.— Oct. 



Obs. A naturalized foreigner ;— remarkable for accompanying civilized man,- 

 growing along his foot-paths, and flourishing around his settlements. It is said our 

 Aborigines call it "the white man's foot ," from this circumstance. The Leaves 

 have long been known and used as a popular dressing fur blisters and other sorei; 

 a practice sportively noticed by Shaksjieare :— 



"Rom. Your Plantain leaf is excellent for that. 



Ben. For what, 1 pray thee 1 



Rom. For your broken shin." 



Komko and Juliet, Act I. £V. 2. 



2. P. viroixica, Ln Hoary-pubescent; leaves obovatc-Ianceolatc, 

 subdcnticulate ; flowers rather distant on the cylindric spike ; capsule 

 2-seedcd. Becky Bot. p. 293. 



Virginian Plantago, I'ulgo — White Plaintain, 



r "Whole plant covered with a grey pubescence. Root biennial) Torr. (annual. 

 IVilld. MuhL &c). Leaves 2 to 3 inches long, and 1 to 2 inches wide, oval, or obo- 

 vate-lanceolate, 3 to 5-nerved, narrowed gradually at base to a petiole 1 to 2 inches 

 long. Scapes longer than the leaves (4 to 6 or 8 inches) very hairy. Spike at firs: 

 short, finally elongated to 2, 3, or -1 inches. Flowers a little distant, not imbric;i 

 ted. Calyx about as long as the bract, often a little longer ; segments broad-ovate. 

 %>r obovate, with green keel and white margin. Corolla yellowish ; segments lar 

 ger than in the preceding. Stamens longer than the corolla; anthers large 

 Capsule ovoid. Seed single in each cell. 



Stab. Sterile old fields, and stony hills : frequent. FL May— June. Fr. Aug. 



3. P. lanceolata, L. Leaves lanceolate, acute at each end ; spike 

 short, dense, ovoid-cylindric ; scapes long, slender, grooved ; capsul* 

 2-seedcd. Meek, But. p. 293. 



Lanceolate Plantaoo, Vulgo — English Plantain. Ripple grass. 



Root perennial. Leaves 4 to 8 inches long and 1 to 2 inches broad, lanceolate, 

 acute, remotely denticulate, about 5-nerved, somewhat pilose, narrowed gradualh 

 at base to a petiole. Scapes 1 to 2 feet high, angular, grooved, pilose with some* 

 ■what appressed hairs. Spike about an inch long, at first ovoid-oblong, finally near- 



