Plantago.^ cm. PLANTAGiNEiE (baker). 503 



Caulescent. 



Stem glandular pu Descent . . . .0. /*. P.s-tfllu(,n. 



Stem glabrous except at the top . . . . 1 . P. strict a. 



1. P. major, Liim,. ; Decne. in DC. Prod. xiii. 094. Perennial, 

 acaulescent. Leaves several in a radical rosette, ovate, narrowed into 

 a channelled petiole, 5-7-nerved, glabrous or slightly hairy. Peduncle 

 long, terete. Spike cylindrical, 4-0 in. long ; bracts ovate-oblong, 

 glabrous, as long as the calyx. Sepals oblong, glabrous, jV in. long. 

 Oorolla-lobes small, ovate. Stamens short. Capsule ovoid, as long as 

 the calyx. Seeds 4-8 in a cell, angled by pressure. — A. Rich. Tent. Fl. 

 Abyss, ii. 20 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 395 ; Hiern in Cat. 

 Afr. PI. Welw. i. 881. 



srile Itand. Abyssinia: Tigre ; near Adowa, 7400 ft.. Quart in-Dillon, 

 Schimjjer, 970 ; Begemeder (?) at Addi Shoa, 7400 ft., Schimper, 485 ! 



Iiower Guinea. Angola : Golungo Alto ; in fields around Saiigf, 1000-2400 ft., 

 Welwitsch, 513, 514 ! 



Native of the North Temperate zone of the Old World, now widely diffused. 



2. P. lanceolata, Linn. ; Decne. in DC. Prod. xiii. 714. Perennial, 

 acaulescent. Leaves lanceolate, narrowed gradually to the sessile base 

 or to a short petiole. Peduncle long, slender, furrowed. Heads very 

 dense, globose or oblong ; bracts ovate, acute, as long as the calyx. 

 Sepals oblong, obtuse, the outer often hairy. Corolla-lobes ovate, 

 acute. Stamens and style long. Capsule 2-seeded. — A. Kich. Tent. Fl. 

 Abyss, ii. 200 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 895. P. abi/ssinicay 

 Hochst. ex A. Br. in Flora, 1841, i. 279. 



Iffile Xiand. Nubia : coast-land to between 3000-4000 ft., at about 21' N. lat.. 

 Bent ! Eritrea : Hamasen district, Steudner, 1282 ; Degerra Valley, near Saganeiti, 

 7000 ft., Schweinfiirtfi ^ Siva, 1248! Teramne ; Godofehissi and Sassidolosatscha, 

 Rohlfs ^ Stecker. Abyssinia : Tigre ; in fields near Adowa, Quart in-Dillou, Schimper, 

 143! Hauiedo Plain, Schimper, 138 ; Samen : Debra E>ki, 9700 ft., Schimper, 91, 

 Ataba, Steudner; 1274 ; Dembea ; Gondar, Steudner, 1275 ; Shoa ; Let-Marefia, 

 Ragazzi. 



Jaovrer Guinea. Gaboon : Munda ; Sibange Farm, Soyaux, 3K4 ! 



Native of the North Temperate zone of the Old World, now widely diffused. Tlie 

 Abyssinian plant represents the var. capitata of Decaisne. 



3. P. albicans, Linn. ; Decive. in DC. Prod. xiii. 70."). Perennial, 

 acaulescent, densely tufted. Leaves sessile, linear, hairy, 1-0 in. long, 

 obscurely 3-nerved. Peduncle elongated, more or less hairy. Spike 

 long, cylindrical ; bracts ovate, glabrous, as long as the calyx. Sepals 

 \ in. long, oblong, obtuse, hairy. Corolla-lobes small, ovate. Stamens 

 short. Capsule 2-seeded. — Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. '6\io. 



Wile Xiand. Eritrea : around Saganeiti, 7100 ft., Schweinfurth ^- Rira, 800 ! 

 Abyssinia: Serriro, 1\(^ it., Schimper, 7^! Geat, Schimper, 749! British Somali- 

 land : witliout precise locality. Miss Edith Cole ! Mrs. LortPhHr>ps ! 



Spread through the Mediterranean region. 



