Alisma Damas on ium. Starry-Headed 
Water-Plantain. 
ALISMA Lin. Gen. PL Hexandria Polygynia. 
Cal. 3-phyllus. Petala 3. Sem. plura. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 27. Herbas multisiliquas seu corniculat.e. 
ALISMA Damafonium foliis cordato oblongis, floribus hexagynis, capfulis Tubulatis. Lii 1. Syjl. 
Vegetab. p. 350. Sp. Pl. p. 486. 
PLANTAGO aquatica ftellata. Bank. Pin. 190. 
DAMASONIUM ftellatum Dalechampii. I. B. III. 789. 
PLANTAGO aquatica minor ftellata. Ger. emac. 417. 
PLANTAGO aquatica minor muricata. Park. 1245. Raii Syn. Star-headed Water- Plantain. 
Hudf. FI. Angl. ed. 2. p. 158. 
RADIX perennis, fibrofa, fibris plurimis, denfiflime < 
capillatis, fimpliciufulis, ex fufco-aurantiacis, < 
in limum profunde demiflis, junioribus al- < 
bis. \ 
FOLIA longe petiolata, natantia, cordato-oblonga, < 
integerrima, utrinque glabra, obtufa, mar- < 
gine ipfa purpurafcente, fubtus nervofa, < 
nervis duobus vix protuberantibus parallelis * 
prope marginem. < 
PETIOLI obtufe trigoni, fubdiaphani, fpongiofi, ad { 
bafin lati, et membrana albida utrinque < 
inftruai. _ } 
SCAPUS fpithamaeus, teres, laevis, nudus, crafliuf- < 
culus, fuperne fordide purpureus, multi- \ 
florus. < 
FLORES albi, fubumbellati. < 
UMBELLAE plerumque tres, inferior lateralis, o&o- ' 
radiata, proxima fuperiorfexradiata, fuprema j 
triradiata, numerus vero variat in diverfis < 
plantis. j 
INVOLUCRUM umbellae triphyllum, foliolis ovato- < 
lanceolatis, membranaceis, marcefcentibus. < 
< 
PEDUNCULI qui radii umbellas, teretes, nudi, fef- < 
quiunciales, fuperioribus brevioribus. 
CALYX: Perianthium triphyllum, foliolis fub- < 
ovatis, obtufis, concavis, patentibus, apice < 
membranaceis, cito marefcentibus, fig. 1 . < 
< 
COROLLA: Petala tria, fubrotunda, alba, tenera, j 
ungue flavo, Jig. 2. < 
STAMINA: Filamenta fex, fubulata, flavefcentia, j 
corolla breviora: An thera oblongas, flavze, < 
Jig. 3. ^ 
PISTILLUM: Germina plerumque fex, fubulata,! 
ere&a : Styli nulli: Stigmata villofa, < 
fubreflexa, fig. 4. ! 
i 
PERICARPIUM : Capsula fex, patentes, fubulatee, \ 
inferne compreflae, uniloculares, monofper- < 
mas vel difpermae, Jig. 5. \ 
SEMEN oblongum, obtufum, nigricans, nitidum, ad ■ 
lentem punftis exafperatum, fulco per me- ] 
dium utrinque longitudinali, Jig. 6 . 
> ROOT perennial, fibrous, fibres numerous, thickly 
l matted together, moftly Ample, of a brownifh 
> orange colour, ftriking deeply into the mud, 
the young ones white. 
> LEAVES ftanding on long footftalks, fwimming, of 
\ an oblong heart (hape, perfe&ly entire, 
> fmooth on both fides, obtufe, the very edge 
I purplilh, ribb’d on the under fide, two very 
) {lightly, prominent, parallel ribs near the 
j> margin. 
) LEAF-STALKS obtufely three-cornered, fomewhat 
> tranfparent, fpongy, broad at the bafe, and 
> edged on each fide with awhitifh membrane. 
> STALK about a fpan long, round, fmooth, naked, 
\ clumfy, of a dirty purple colour above, 
) many-flower’d. 
I FLOWERS white, growing umbel-like. 
i UMBELS for the moft part three, the lowermoft Ia- 
^ teral, eight-rayed, the next above fix-rayed, 
} the uppermoft three-rayed, the number how- 
ever varies in different plants. 
> INVOLUCRUM of the umbel three-leav’d, leaves 
I ovato-lanceolate, membranous, and wither- 
I ing- 
( FLOWER-STALKS which form the rays of the 
) umbel, round, naked, an inch and a half in 
length, the upper ones fhorteft. 
\ CALYX: a Perianthium of three leaves, the leaf- 
> lets nearly ovate, obtufe, concave, fpread- 
| ing, membranous at the top, and foon 
> withering. Jig. 1. 
I COROLLA compofed of three roundifh, white, ten- 
) der Petals with yellow claws, fig. 2. 
j> STAMINA : fix tapering yellowifh Filaments, 
j> fhorter than the corolla : Anthers oblong 
and yellow. Jig. 3. 
\ PISTILLUM: Germina for the moft part fix in 
i> number, tapering, upright: Styles none: 
l Stigmata villous, fomewhat reflexed, 
> Jig. 4. 
I SEED-VESSEL: fix fpreading Capsules, tapering 
} to a point, flattened below, one-cell’d, a 
^ Angle feed or two in each. Jig. 5. 
> SEED oblong, obtufe, blackifti, fhining, when mag- 
nified appearing rough with little promi- 
^ nent points, a groove running down the 
} middle on each fide. Jig. 6 . 
Not very uncommon in the neighbourhood of London, in ditches, ftagnant waters, and ponds, efpecially 
fuch as have been formed by the digging of gravel : particularly plentiful in fuch like ponds on Wandfworth 
Common, with Sparganium Jimplex : alfo, about Clapham, Walworth, &c. 
Flowers from June to September. 
Is not remarkable for its qualities or ufes. 
Tournefort makes a diftinft genus of the Damafonium, referring the Alifnia Plantago and ranunculoides 
to the genus Ranunculus. 
Ray alfo feparates it from the Plantago aquatica, but obferves that it agrees with it in its tripetalous 
flowers, though it differs in its feed-veflels. 
Notwithftanding this difcrepance in the feed-veflels, the other parts of its fru&ification, joined to its 
general habit, in our humble opinion, fully juftify Linnasus in making it an Alifma. 
