246 



PLANT AGINACEAE. 



VOL. III. 



Plantago halophila Bicknell, of saline situations along the Atlantic coast, is densely pubescent, 

 but otherwise like this species. A similar race occurs about lakes in northern New York. 



Plantago asiatica L. is a boreal race with thinner 

 nearly erect leaves. 



2. Plantago Rugelii Dene. Rugel's or Pale 

 Plantain. Fig. 3899. 



Plantago Rugelii in DC. Prodr. 13: Part i, 700. 1852. 



Similar to the preceding species, the spikes less 

 dense, at least toward the base, usually long-atten- 

 uate at the summit, sometimes 5" thick. Sepals ob- 

 long, prominently keeled on the back, the margins 

 green or scarious ; pyxis oblong-cylindric, 2" -3" 

 long, twice as long as the sepals, circumscissile much 

 below the middle and entirely within the calyx, 

 4-io-seeded; stamens 4. 



In fields, woods and waste places, 'New Brunswick to 

 Ontario, South Dakota, Florida, Kansas and Texas. 

 Petioles commonly purple at the base. Usually brighter 

 green and with thinner leaves than P. major. This 

 species, or the preceding one, was known to the Indians 

 as " White-man's-foot." Silk-plant. June-Sept. 



3. Plantago lanceolata L. Ribwort. Rib- 



grass. English, Buck, or Buckthorn 



Plantain. Snake, Lance-leaved, or Ripple Plantain. Fig. 3900. 



Plantago lanceolata L. Sp. PI. 113. 1753. 



Perennial or biennial, more or less pubescent ; 

 rootstock mostly short, with tufts of brown hairs 

 at the bases of the leaves. Leaves narrowly ob- 

 long-lanceolate, mostly erect, shorter than the 

 scapes, entire, acute or acuminate at the apex, 

 gradually narrowed into petioles, 3-S-ribbed, 2'- 

 12' long, 3"-i2" wide; scapes slender, channelled, 

 sometimes 2i tall; spikes very dense, at first 

 short and ovoid, becoming cylindric, blunt and 

 -4' long in fruit, 4"-6" thick; flowers perfect, 

 proterogynous ; sepals ovate, with a narrow green 

 midrib and broad scarious margins, the two lower 

 ones commonly united; corolla glabrous, its tube 

 very short ; filaments white ; pyxis oblong, very 

 obtuse, 2-seeded, slightly longer than the calyx; 

 seeds deeply excavated on the face. 



In fields and waste places, New Brunswick to the 

 Northwest Territory, British Columbia, Florida and 

 Kansas. Bermuda. Naturalized from Europe ; native 

 also of Asia. Sepals rarely metamorphosed into 

 small leaves. April-Nov. Black-jacks. Jack-straws. 

 Dog's-ribs. Cocks. Kemps. Leechwort. Ram's-tongue. Rattail. Windles. Long-plantain. Ripple- 

 grass. Kempseed. Headsman. Hen-plant. Clock. Chimney-sweeps. Cats'-cradles. 



4. Plantago media L. Hoary Plantain. 

 Lamb's-tongue. Healing herb. Fig. 3901. 



Plantago media L. Sp. PI. 113. 1753. 



Perennial, intermediate in aspect between P. major 

 and P. lanceolata, the short rootstock clothed with 

 brown hairs among the bases of the leaves. Leaves, 

 spreading, ovate, broadly oblong or elliptic, obtuse or 

 acute at the apex, entire, or repand-dentate, densely 

 and finely canescent, 5-/-ribbed, narrowed at the base 

 into margined, usually short petioles; scapes slender, 

 much longer than the leaves, i-2 tall; spikes very 

 dense, cylindric and i'-3' long in fruit, about 3" 

 thick; flowers perfect, white; sepals all distinct, ob- 

 long, with a narrow green midrib and broad scarious 

 margins ; corolla glabrous ; stamens pink or purple ; 

 pyxis oblong, obtuse, about as long as the calyx, 

 2-4-seeded, the seeds merely concave, stamens 4. 



In waste places, Maine, Rhode Island, Ontario and 

 New York. Adventive from Europe. Native also of 

 Asia. May-Sept. Fire-leaves. Fire-weed. Lamb's-lettuce. 



