92 PRIMROSE ORDER 



Samolus Linne 1753 Brookweed 

 (The ancient name) 



Sepals 5, united, petals 5, white, united, bell-shaped, stamens 5, ovary 

 1-celled, capsule globose or ovoid, 5-valved from the summit; flowers in 

 terminal racemes or panicles; leaves alternate, entire; perennial. 

 Stems .5-1.5 ft. high'; leaves obovate, 1-3 in. long; flow- 

 ers 1-2 mm. wide .9. floribtmdns 



Steironema Rafinesque 1820 Loosestrife 



(Gr. steiros, sterile, nema, thread, from the sterile stamens) 



PL 16, fig. 2. 



Sepals 5, petals 5, yellow, stamens 5, sterile stamens 5, ovary 1-celled, 

 globose, capsule 5-valved, flowers axillary on slender stalks ; leaves oppo- 

 site or whorled, simple, entire ; perennial. 

 Stems 1-4 ft. high; leaves ovate to lance-ovate, 2-5 in. 



long; flowers 1-2.5 cm. wide S. cilidtum 



PLANTAGINACEAE PLANTAIN FAMILY 

 Sepals 4, united, petals 4, united, papery, stamens 4 or 2, inserted on 

 the tube or throat of the corolla, ovary 1-2-celled, or falsely 3-4-celled, 

 style slender, simple, ovules 1-several in each cell, fruit a pod or capsule 

 opening by a lid, or a nutlet, seeds 1-several in each cavity ; flowers small, 

 perfect, polygamous or monoecious, in dense terminal spikes or heads, or 

 rarely solitary ; annual or perennial stemless or short-stemmed herbs with 

 basal, opposite or alternate leaves. 



Plantago Linne 1753 Plantain 



(Lat. planta, sole, -ago, like, from the- shape of the leaf) 



PI. 20. fig. 1. 



Sepals 4, united, petals 4, greenish or purplish, united into a salverform 

 corolla, the tube cylindric or constricted at the throat, stamens 4 or 2, 

 ovary 2-celled or falsely 3-4-celled, ovules 1-several in each cell, fruit open- 

 ing by a lid ; flowers in terminal spikes or heads ; leaves basal or alternate ; 

 stemless or short-stemmed herbs. 

 1. Leaves linear, 1-5 mm. wide 



a. Leaves 3-6 mm. wide, gray woolly ; spikes 5-6 



mm. wide; stamens 4 P.Purshii 



b. Leaves .5-1 mm. wide, minutely hairy; spikes 



2 mm. wide ; stamens 2 P. elongate 



