Alisma Plantago. Great Water-Plantain 
ALISMA Lm. Gen. PI. Hexandria Polygynia. 
Cal. 3-phyllus. Petala 3 . Seen, plura. 
Ran Syn. Gen. 15. Herb* semine nudo polyspermas. 
ALISMA acmds, fruaibus obtufe trigonis. Lin. Syfl. Ve^al. f. a 8S . Spec. Pl. 
DAMASONIUM foliis ellipticis, lanceolatis, capitulo rotunde triquetro. Haller. Hifl. n. t,S 4 . 
ALISMA Plantago. Scopolt FI. Carn. n. 449. 
PLANTAGO aquatica latifolia. Bauh. Pin. 190. 
plantago P ^k^.t' 9 r °"*' 
RADIX perennis, alba, bulbiformis, tunicata, denfiffi- 
mis fibris capillata. 
FOLIA omnia radicalia, longe petiolata, ovata, acuta, 
glabra, nervofa, integerrima, eredta, fubun- 
dulata, petiolis femiteretibus, bafi vaginanti- 
bus, purpurafcentibus. 
SCAPUS obtufe trigonus, nudus, Levis, pedalis ad tri- 
pedalem. 
RAMI floriferi verticillatim circa fcapum difpofiti, utut 
ramuli circa ramos, numero quam maxime 
variantes, nudi. 
STIPULJE ad bafin cujufvis verticilli, membranacete, 
marcidas, vaginantes. 
CALYX : Perianthium tripbyllum, foliolis ovatis, 
acutiufculis, concavis, lineatis, patentibus, mar- 
gine membranaceis, jig. 1 . 
COROLLA : Petala tria, fubrotunda, purpurea, erofa, 
plana, patentia, remotiufcula, unguibus flavis, 
fg - 2 . 
STAMINA: Filamenta fex, fetacea, fubincurvata. 
Antheras virefcentes, Jig. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germina plurima, 12 et ultra, in or- 
bem polita. Styli tot quot germina, fili- 
formes, eredi. Stigmata fimplicia, Jig. 4. 
Piftillum auSt.Jig. 5. 
|ROOT perennial, white, fomewhat bulbous, coated 
! rr . Tr furniflied with a tuft of numerous fibres. ’ 
|CbAVLS all fpnnging from the root, Handing on long 
I foot-Halks, ovate, pointed, fmooth, ribbed, 
? Perfedly entire, upright, flightly waved, the 
I foot-ftalks femicylindrical, at bottom fheath- 
| ing and purplifti. 
I STALK obtufely three-cornered, naked, fmooth, from 
I one to three feet in height. 
I BRANCHES producing the flowers difbofed in whirls 
I round the ftalk and the lefler branches in a 
<( fimilar manner round them, varying greatly in 
I number, and naked. 
I STIPULiE at the bafe of each whirl, membranous, 
I withered and Iheathing. 
I CALYX: a Perianthium of three leaves, the leaves 
f ovate, a little pointed, concave, marked with 
lines, fpreading, membranous on the edge 
• fg- r- 
I COROLLA three Petals, roundifh, purple, gnawed 
on the edge, flat, fpreading, fomewhat remote 
I from each other, claws yellow, Jig. 2. 
* STAMINA : fix Filaments, fine and tapering, flightly 
bending inwards. Antherte greenilh, //k 
I PISTILLUM: Germina numerous, to 1 2 or more 
¥ placed in a circle. Styles as numerous 
I as the germina, filiform, upright. Stig- 
mata Ample, jig. 4. The Piftillum magni- 
t fied, Jig. 5. 
The ancient Botamfts, taken with the firft appearance of things, and obferving a fimilarity in the leaves of this 
phnt ‘° ‘hoe of Plantam, without confultmg the flower or fruit, made it “at once a Plantago, though it, 
fructification bears not the molt diftant affinity to that genus. ° 
Baron Haller obferves, that in its acrimonious quality it comes near to the Crowfoots, and on the authority of 
P A bregou relates, that it has proved fatal to kine and other animals who have eaten it. From thefe efte&s he 
very property queries how comes it to be confidered by Floyer as a cooler and aftringent, and bv Boccone as 
ufeful m the Piles. b 
. Externally applied it blifters; taken internally it produces the fame eSia as the Crowfoots. Cattle are much 
injured, and fometimes killed by it. Atrophy and immobility of the hind parts of the bodv are the effects of 
which it is productive. Lindenstolpius, Brugmaris Dijertatio ^uanamfunt Plantar inutiles, &c. 1783. 
There is no plant more common than this fpecies of Water Plantain in and by the Cdes of ponds riyers &c 
It flowers in July, Auguft, and September. 
