DESCRIPTIVE MANUAL 



301 



Fig. 172-A. Distribution of Rugel's Plantain. 



Rib Grass (Plantago lanceolata It.). 



Description. — A hairy, scapose, perennial with flowering heads, 

 1-21/2 ft. high; leaves lanceolate or lance-oblong; spike thick, at 

 first capitate, becoming cylindrical ; bracts and sepals scarious ; seed 

 smooth, brownish, hollowed on the face; trichomes simple, long, 

 slender-pointed. 



Distribution. — Buckhorn or rib grass is native to Europe and 

 has long been known as a troublesome weed in the eastern states; 

 it is particularly abundant in Ohio and New York and is frequent 

 in the east; in the Rocky mountains and on the Pacific coast. In 

 Iowa it has been distributed widely with clover and will be found 

 in clover meadows in many parts of the state. 



Extermination. — This weed is a persistent perennial in fields, 

 lawns and clover meadows. Nothing but thorough cultivation will 

 destroy it. In seeding to clover use only pure and clean seed. 



Clark and Fletcher recommend as follows: "Sow clean seed. 

 In common with other species of plantain, this weed is easily sup- 

 pressed by hoed crop and short rotation. It is prevalent almost ex- 

 clusively in clover crops, in which it increases rapidly by the dis- 

 tribution of its seeds with commercial clover seed, the market value 

 of which is depreciated by this impurity. Farmers who use only 

 first quality red clover seed and who pull the first plants of this 

 weed that occur in the clover seed crop will soon rid their farms 

 of this pest." 



