St TETRANBRIA, MONOGYNIA. 



80. PLANTAGO. Gen.pl. 186. ( Plant agines- ) 



Calix 4 cleft. Corolla 4 cleft ; border reflected. 

 Stamina mostly exserted, very long. Capsule 

 2-celied, opening transversely. 



major. 1. P. leaves ovate, somewhat smooth, and sub- 



dent^e, with long petioles ; scape round ; flowers 

 imbricated j seeds numerous. Lam. EncycL Willd. 

 Smith* 



Icon. Engl. Bot. 1558. Ft- Dan. 461- Wood- 

 ville's Med. Bot. t. 14. 



Common great- Plantane* or Way bread* 



Every person knows this very common weed, which abounds 

 in pastures, fields, grass-plots, ami grassy-road sides, resisting 

 injuries, and blooming while subject to daily pressure from the 

 footsteps of passengers. It was formerly highly esteemed as 

 a medicine, and has a place in W oodvi He's Medical Botany, as 

 a refiigerant and vulnerary. In this country it is still used as an 

 external application, among the vulgar. The seeds, when ripe, 

 are given to Canary birds, which are extremely fond of it. 

 During their moulting, it is serviceable to them Introduced 

 from Europe, but now perfectly naturalized, being found every 

 where in the settled parts of our country, among grass. Per- 

 ennial. From May till Autumn. 



* 



laneeoiata. 2. P. leaves lanceolate, villous, spike short cylindric, 

 bracteas ovate, acuminate j scape angular with 

 adpressed hairs. — Pursh. 

 P. lanceolata, Wilid. 



Ribwort, 



As common as No. 1. in similar places, and very easily 

 known by its long ribbed narrow leaves. Pursh hints that our 

 plant is specifically distinct from the European P. lanceolata ; 

 and gives as a reason, that the specimens of these which he 

 examined in the Herbarium of Mr. Lambert, of London, had 

 the bracteas oblong and acute. This difference is scarcely suffi- 

 cient to justify the separation of the American from the Eu- 

 ropean plant. Perennial. June to August. 



Since writing the above, I have received a specimen of P. 

 lanceolata, from the Herbarium of Dr. Edward Barton, col- 

 lected in Scotland. It is the very same as the American plant. 



