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CHAPTER 16 Pondweeds, Grasses, Lilies and Orchids
Monocotyledonous flowering plants in the orders (and families) Alismatales
(Alismataceae, water-plantains), Najadales (Potamogetonaceae, pondweeds),
Arales (Araceae, arums; Lemnaceae, duckweeds), Juncales (Juncaceae,
rushes), Cyperales (Cyperaceae, sedges; Poaceae, grasses), Typhales (Typha-
ceae, reedmaces), Liliales (Liliaceae, lilies; Iridaceae, irises; Dioscoreaceae,
yams) and Orchidales (Orchidaceae, orchids) are included in this chapter.
Alismataceae
Sagittaria sagittifolia Linnaeus
arrowhead
temperate Eurasia
In Devon a cupful of tea made of nine leaves ofSagittaria sagittifolia to a pint
of boiled water was reckoned a good strengthening medicine, if taken every
day in spring and autumn.^1
Alisma plantago-aquatica Linnaeus, in the broad sense
water-plantain
Eurasia, North Africa; introduced into west North America,
Australasia
Though a highly valued folk herb in other parts of the world,Alisma plantago-
aquatica appears to have had only a marginal presence in that capacity in the
British Isles—and that only in Ireland. Apart from an unlocalised record of its
use in the latter for a sore mouth,^2 its juice has had a reputation in London-
derry as able to stop the spitting of blood.^3