PROLIFICATION OP THE INFLORESCENCE. 



Ill 



mentioned by Dr. Johnston,^ wherein were several 

 spikes, some sessile, others stalked and pendent, the 

 whole intermixed with leaves and disposed in a rose- 

 like manner. I have myself gathered specimens of 

 this nature, occurring in the same plant, at Shankhn, 

 Isle of Wight (fig. 56). 



Fig. 56. Inflorescence of Plantago lanceolata, bearing a tuft of leaven 

 and flowers at the end of the flower- scape. 



It is rather singular that each species of Plantago 

 seems to have its own perverse mode of growth ; for 

 instance, the bracteate, polystachyate and paniculate 

 forms are almost exclusively confined to P. majo)\ the 

 roseate form to P. media, the proliferous form to 

 P. lanceolata. 



The instances wherein flower-buds originate from the 

 surface of an inferior ovary, as in those cases where the 

 top of the stem is dilated so as to form part of the 

 fruit, would be properly classed under the head of pro- 



' Flora of Berwick -on-Tweed,' vol. i, p. 38. 



