PL ANT AGIN A CE^. (PLANTAIN FAMILY.) 277 



1. M. Floridana, A. DC. Smooth; leaves obovate-oblong, entire, on 

 short petioles ; clusters few-flowered ; lobes of the calyx and corolla 5 ; drupes 

 small, longer than the pedicels. - - South Florida. — Leaves 2' -3' long. Drupes 

 1" in diameter. 



2. ARDISIA, Swartz. 



Flowers perfect. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-cleft, convolute in tho bud. 

 Stamens 5 ; the anthers mostly longer than the filaments, opening from the 

 apex downward. Ovary 1 -celled, many-ovuled. Style slender: stigma acute. 

 Drupe globular, 1 -seeded — Leaves coriaceous. Flowers in terminal racemes 

 or panicles. 



I. A. Piekeringia, Ton*. & Gray. Smooth; leaves oblong-obovate, ob- 

 tuse, entire, narrowed into a short petiole, pale beneath ; panicles terminal, short ; 

 corolla dotted with minute black globules. — South Florida. July. — Leaves 2' 

 long. Drupe \j" in diameter, shorter than the pedicel. 



Order 85. PLAIVTAGINACE7E. (Plantain Family.) 



Chiefly stemless herbs, with radical mostly ribbed leaves, and small 

 whitish spiked or capitate flowers, borne on a naked scape. — Calyx 

 of 4 imbricated sepals, with scarious margins. Corolla salver-shaped, 

 4-parted, withering. Stamens 2-4, included or exserted, inserted on 

 the tube of the corolla, and alternate with its lobes : anthers 2-celled, 

 deciduous. Style slender. Ovary free, 2 - 4-cellcd. Capsule 2-celled, 

 few -many-seeded, opening transversely. Seeds attached to the de- 

 ciduous partition. Embryo straight in fleshy albumen. 



1. PLANTAGO, L. Plantain. 



Characters same as the order. 



* Flower perfect. 



1 P. major, L. Leaves ovate or oval, smooth or pubescent, 5-7-ribbed, 

 mostly toothed, narrowed into a broad concave petiole ; scape pubescent ; spike 

 long-cylindrical, densely many-flowered ; bracts ovate ; capsule many-seeded.— 

 Low ground around dwellings. Introduced. May - Aug. — Scape G' - 12' high 

 Leaves 4'- 6' long. 



2. P. COl'data, Lam. Smooth; leaves broadly ovate or cordate, toothed, 

 7-9-ribbed, on long flat petioles ; spike long-cylindrical, rather loosely flowered ; 

 bracts roundish; capsule 2-4-seeded.— Low ground, in the upper districts of 

 ( taorgia, Tennessee, and northward. April - June. 1J. — Scape 1° high. Leaves 

 3' -8' long. 



•3. P. Rugelii, Decaisne. Leaves smooth or pubescent, oblong, entire or 

 obscurely denticulate. 3-5-ribbed; spike cylindrical, rather loosely flowered; 

 bract, acute, shorter than the smooth calyx ; capsule conical, 4-secded. — Hills 

 near Decatur, Alabama. RugeL — Plant small. Scape slender. 

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