464 
HEXANDRIA. POLYGYNIA. Alisma. 
Water Plantain. Greater Thrum-wort. (Irish : Cor Chapog. 
Welsh : Dyfr Lyriad mwyaf 
Pet. 43. 7. 
A. Plantago. Linn. Plantago oquatica. Ray. E.) Common in watery 
places, margins of pools and rivers. P. July—Aug.* 
A. dajmaso'nium. Leaves heart-oblong: styles six: capsules awl- 
shaped, (stellate. E.) 
Curt. — {F. Bot. 1615. E.)— Lob. Obs. 160. 2; and Ic. i. 301. 1— Ger. Em. 
417. 2— Park. 1245. 3—{Pet. 43. 5. E.) 
Leaves with net-like veins, (all radical, with five ribs, floating. E.) Leaf¬ 
stalks flat, broad, and long. Stem naked. Flowers in lateral and termi¬ 
nating umbels. Woodw. Capsules large, spear-awl-shaped, forming a 
star-like umbellule with six spokes. {Flower-stalks about a span high, 
bearing one or two whorls of white flowers , yellow in the centre. E.) 
Star-headed Thrum-wort or Water Plantain. Ditches with stag¬ 
nant waters. Rumford. Mr. Pitchford. (Wanstead Park, Essex. Mr. 
Sowerby. Ponds in Epping Forest. Mr. Winch. Near Ellesmere, 
Shropshire. Dr. Evans. At Framlingham, Suffolk. Rev.-- Crabbe. 
Bot. Guide. On Waterdown Forest, and in ponds at Abergavenny Park, 
near Tonbridge. Mr. Forster. Eng. FI. E.) P. June—Aug. 
A. na'tans. Root-leaves strap-shaped, membranous; floating-leaves 
egg-shaped, obtuse, on long leaf-stalks: fruit-stalks solitary, (very 
long: capsules striated. E.) 
{E. Bot. 775—FI. Dan. 1573. E.) 
In Alpine rivulets I have seen the leaves drawn to the length of three or 
four yards by the force of the stream, but in this state and situation 
it never flowers. Griff. {Capsules striated. Stems floating, throwing 
out radicles, with a few leaves and flowers from every joint. Leaves 
floating, about an inch long, with membranous concave stipulas. Flower - 
* (This acrimonious, blistering plant, is said to resemble Crowfoot in its general quali¬ 
ties. Cattle are sometimes much injured, if not killed, by it, as atrophy and paralysis 
supervene. Gray states that the juice is used for drying up milk in the breast. The 
tubers are farinaceous, and recommended in hydrophobia; especially in Russia, where its 
use was (in 1820) sanctioned by the College of Physicians of Moscow. The practice was 
subsequently made known in North America; and though specifics are not latterly in 
repute with the more enlightened of the medical faculty, it seems desirable to afford pub¬ 
licity to whatever may by possibility relieve so dreadful a disorder. We, therefore, insert 
the following notice by Mr. C. Whitlaw, of Great Russell-street, London ; who reports 
that “ a remedy for the poison of the rattle-snake was purchased by the Assembly of South 
Carolina, of a negro, by giving him his freedom, and an annuity of 100/. for life.” This 
remedy was derived from Alisnia Plantago , and the same writer adds, “ in order to 
induce the faculty to give its virtues a fair trial, as an antispasmodic, I may observe that I 
have frequently seen cattle, which have eaten the Alisma, completely paralyzed, so that 
they could not stand. As death ensues from the excessive stimulant action of the poison 
of the rattle-snake, and of the saliva of a rabid animal, upon the muscular system, I consider 
that a cure is effected by the peculiar sedative power of the Alisma , or antispasmodic, 
relaxing the spasms : and I believe it will be found to be an effectual specific for the cure 
of these two dreadful maladies, as also of tetanus. The best mode of administering it, 
when the difficulty of swallowing comes on, is to scrape about an ounce of the solid root, 
and let it be eaten between two slices of bread. The dose to be repeated in an hour, if 
the spasms are not relieved.” E.) 
