Alisma Plantago. Great Water-Plantain. 



ALISMA Lin. Gen. PI. Hexandria Polygynia. 



Cal. 3-phyllus. Petala 3. Sem. plura. 



Raii Syn. Gen. 15. Herb^ semine nudo polyspermy. 



ALISMA Plantago foliis ovatis acutis, fru&ibus obtufe trigonis. Lin. Syji. Vegetal, p. 288. Spec, PI, 

 p. 486. Fl. Suec. n. 323. 



DAMASONIUM foliis ellipticis, lanceolatis, capitulo rotimde triquetro. Haller. FUJI, n. 1 1 84, 



ALISMA Plantago. Scopoli Fl. Cam. n. 449. 



PLANTAGO aquatica latifolia. Bauh. Pin. 190. 



PLANTAGO aquatica major. Ger. emac. 417. Park. 124c. Raii Syn. 2 $7. Great Water-Plaintain» 

 Hud/on. Fl. Angl. ed. 2. p. 159. Lightfoot FL Scot. p. 193. 



RADIX perennis, alba, bulbiformis, tunicata, denfiffi- $ROOT perennial, white, fomewhat bulbous, coated, 

 mis fibris capillata. | and furnifhed with a tuft of numerous fibres. 



FOLIA omnia radicalia, longe petiolata, ovata, acuta, ^LEAVES all fpringing from the root, ftanding on long 

 glabra, nervofa, integerrima, erecta, fubun- | foot-ftalks, ovate, pointed, fmooth, ribbed, 



dulata, petiolis femiteretibus, bafi vaginanti- | perfectly entire, upright, flightly waved, the 



bus, purpurafcentibus. % foot-ftalks femicylindrical, at bottom fheath- 



I ing and purplifh. 



SCAPUS obtufe trigonus, nudus, laevis, pedalis ad trl- % STALK obtufely three-cornered, naked, fmooth, from 



pedalem. ., | one to three feet in height. 



.RAMI floriferi verticillatim circa fcapum difpofiti, utut | BRANCHES producing the flowers difpofed in whirls 

 ramuli circa ramos, numero quam maxime | round the ftalk and the lefier branches in a 



variantes, nudi. ^ fimilar manner round them, varying greatly in 



? number, and naked. 



STIPULiE ad bafin cujufvis verticilli, membranaceas, | STIPULtE at the bafe of each whirl, membranous, 

 marcidas, vaginantes. % withered and fheathing. 



CALYX: Perianthium tripbyllum, foliolis ovatis, | CALYX : a Perianthium of three leaves, the leaves 

 acutiufculis, concavis, lineatis, patentibus, mar- % ovate, a little pointed, concave, marked with 



gine membranaceis, jig. 1. | lines, fpreading, membranous on the edge, 



% fig- I. 



COROLLA: Petala tria, fubrotunda, purpurea, erofa, t COROLLA three Petals, roundim, purple, gnawed 

 plana, patentia, remotiufcula, unguibus flavis, | on the edge, flat, fpreading, fomewhat remote 



Jig. 2. I from each other, claws yellow, Jig. 2. 



STAMINA: Filament A fex, fetacea, fubincurvata. |SJAMINA : fix Filaments, fine and tapering, {lightly 

 Anthers virefcentes, fg. 3. y bending inwards. Antherje greenim, Jig. 3. 



PISTILLUM : Germina plurima, 12 et ultra, in or- |PISTILLUM: Germina numerous, to 12 or more 

 bem pofita. Styli tot quot germina, fili- | placed in a circle. Styles as numerous 



formes, ere£ti. Stigmata fimplicia, fig. 4. ¥ as the germina, filiform,* upright. Stig- 



Piftillum aucl.fig. 5. '■ | mata fimple, Jig. 4. The Piftillum magni- 



% ^ed, fg. 5. 



The ancient Botanifts, taken with the firfr. appearance of things, and obferving a fimilarity in the leaves of this 

 plant to thofe of Plantain, without confulting the flower or fruit, made it at once a Plantago, though its 

 fructification bea^s not the moft diftant affinity to that genus. 



Baron Haller obferves, that in its acrimonious quality it comes near to the Crowfoots, and on the authority of 

 Fabregou relates, that it has proved fatal to kine and other animals who have eaten it. From thefe effects he 

 very properly queries how comes it to be confidered by Floyer as a cooler and aftringent, and by Boccone as 

 ufeful in the Piles. 



Externally applied it bliiters ; taken internally it produces the fame effect as the Crowfoots. Cattle are much 

 injured,' and fometimes killed by it. Atrophy and immobility of the hind parts of the body are the effects of 

 which it is productive. Lindenstolpius, Brugmans Dijfertaiw §luamatnjunt Plants inutiies, &c. 1783. 



There is no plant more common than this fpecies of Water Plantain in and by the fides of ponds, rivers, &c. 

 It flowers in July, Augufr, and September. 



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