Found on the banks of streams, on the Connecticut and Housa-
tonic Rivers ; a climbing vine, with cordate, 5-lobed leaves, and
tendrils; fruit 2 — 4 inches long, thick, covered with prickles,
echinate, and having 4 large, long, and thick seeds ; blossoms in
August.
Sicvos. L. 19. 15.
One of the Greek names for Cucumber; a few species further
South..
S. angulatus. L. Single-seeded Cucumber. Grows also
on the banks of streams ; often cultivated, as it will' run far, and
form a dense and large arbor ; a climbing, small vine, with whitish
flowers, and greenish ; bears several fruits in one cluster, each
about an inch or more long, and containing one very large seed ;
blooms Trom June to September ; leaves large, cordate, angular,
toothed.
The powerful cathartic of the shops, known as Elaterium, is
merely the inspissated juice of the fruit, known under the title of
squirting cucumber, M. elaterium, L ., because the ripe fruit
throws out its juice and seeds with much force ; this is a native
of the South of Europe, and sometimes found in our more extensive
gardens.
ORDER 182. PLANTAGINEiE. T he R ib-Grass
T ribe.
Only one genus in this order belongs to Massachusetts. The
plants are commonly without a stem, that is, they have only a
flower-stalk, their leaves are radical, and their flowers in a long
spike. The calyx and corolla are distinct, the former being 4-
leafed, and the latter 4-parted ; the flowers unattractive.
P lantago. L. 4. 1.
. P . major. L. Common Plantain. One of the plants that
seem to follow man in the temperate climes, so that where he
rears a hut or tills the soil, it appears to cheer him on his way.
The Indians called it the White Man's Foot, Leaves somewhat
mucilaginous, and formerly used as an application to sores.
Small birds feed on its seeds, and probably some insects. Common
over Europe ; introduced into the United States, and the
following species also.
P. lanceolata. L. Ribwort. Has long and narrow leaves,
strongly nerved, with a short dense spike of flowers, and is usually
taller than the other ; stem often near 2 feet high ; upland meadows
and fields ; indigenous to Britain.
P. maritima. L. Sea Plantain. Grows on salt marshes,
vvith short fleshy leaves, very variable in length, as well as in
abundance of flowers. Found along our coast; but said to grow
on mountains also in Europe ; indigenous to both continents.
ORDER 183. PLUMBAGINEiE.- T he L eadwort
T iIibE.
Named from P lumbago, an important genus,'which had the
reputation anciently of curing a disease of the eyes called plumbum
; but of the genus no species belongs to New England.
The plants of the order have very opposite qualities ; a species
of some importance is in this State.
S tatice. L. 5. 5.
S. limonum. L. Marsh Rosemary. Grows in salt marshes ;
rather showy, quite branching, full of small flowers ; radical leaves,
shorter than the stem. The root yields an important astringent,
and is much used by physicians ; Bigelow’s C£ Medical Botany.”
About 30 species of Statice are cultivated in England, and are
considered quite ornamental plants. The species just mentioned
is indigenous to England as well as this country.
Statice has its- name from a Greek word, to stop, because it
stops certain diseases. Loudon.