190 



to my own satisfaction. It has been suggested that the growth was from a crack 

 which had gathered soil. A mere glance negatives the suggestion. Again it has 

 been said that the stump, though apparently sound, is really decayed. This, of 

 course, is possible, but in no part of the stump to a depth of three inches was 

 there the slightest trace of decay that could be detected. 



To my mind it stands as the title indicates, as an exceptional growth of a 

 wild rose. 



A Revision of the Species of the (Ienus Plantago Occurring Within 

 THE United States. By Alida Mabel Cunningham.^ 



The genus Plantago of Tournefort under rule 2 of the Madison code is now to 

 be referred to Linna-us, Sp. PI. 112 (17oo). The description of the genus found 

 in the Hth edition of Gray's Manual is so complete that it is here quoted without 

 change. 



The purpose of the following study was a revision of the various species of 

 this genus, based upon seed characters because of the belief that su«h characters 

 were most likely to be constant and of diagnostic value. The results obtained by 

 this study have led to a confirmation of these views, and it is believed that an ex- 

 tension of studies of this character would be of high value. 



The material examined was that contained in the herbaria of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, the University of Minnesota, Purdue University 

 and the private herbarium of Dr. John M. Coulter. I extend my thanks to the 

 gentleman owning or in charge of these collections for their kindness in permit- 

 ting me to retain the material for the time needed, and to Mr. E. B. Uline for 

 some original descriptions. I am also deeply indebted to Dr. Stanley Coulter for 

 his trouble in procuring the material examined, and for his many valuable sug- 

 gestions in the study of the subject. 



The results show that the genus may be broken up into three sections, clearly 

 separated by seed characters, as follows : 

 I. Seeds oval in cross section. 



P. cordata, major, Rugelii, eriopoda, decipiens, maritima, Tweedyi. 

 II. Seeds more or less anther shape in cross section. 



P. lanceolata, Patagonica, hirtella, Virginica, rubra and minima. 



III. Seeds irregularly lobed in cross section. 



P. elongata, heterophylla and Bigelovii. 



'Plates 1-^0, photographs of the various species, which were intended to accompany this 

 article, are omitted because of lack of funds. 



