16 PLANTAGINACEiE. ^ Plantago. 



4. Plantago Virginica, Linn. White Plantain. 



Biennial ; whole plant hoary-pubescent ; leaves obovate-lanceolate, remotely and obscurely 

 denticulate ; spike cylindrical, with the flowers rather distant ; segments of the corolla erect. 

 — Linn. sp. 1. p. 113 ; Michx. fl. 1. p^ 94 ; Pursh, ft. 1. p. 98 ; Ell. sk. \. p 201 ; Torr. 

 fl. 1. p. 183 ; Beck, hot. p. 293 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 110. , ^• 



Root fibrous. Leaves 2-3 inches long and about an inch wide, obtuse, ^- 5-nerved, 

 attenuated at the base into a short petiole. Scape longer than the leaves, clothed with spreading 

 hairs. Spike at first short, but in fruit 2-4 inches long. Flowers slightly imbricated. 

 Calyx as long as the lanceolate bract ; the two lower segpienU narrower than the others. 

 Corolla yellowish ; the segments lanceolate, acute, erect or connivent. Stamens (always ? ) 

 included. Style hairy. Capsule ovoid. Seeds plano-convex, bordered. 



Sandy fields and stony hill-sides ; rare in the interior' of the State. May — June. This 

 species seems (occasionally at least) to be polygamous or dioecious by abortion. In many of 

 the flowers that I have examined, the stamens were sterile, but the seeds were matured. 



5. Plantago maritima, Linn. ji. Sea Plantain. 



Leaves linear, grooved, fleshy, hairy near the base ; scape terete ; spike cylindrical ; bracts 

 rather acute. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 113 ; Engl. hot. t. 17^ ; Michx. fl. 1. p. 94:-, Pursh, fl. 1. 

 p. 99 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 52 j Torr. fl. \. p. 184 ; Beck, hot. p. 293 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 

 2. p. 123. 



Root perennial, thick and somewhat woody. Leaves 2 — 5 inches long and 1-2 lines 

 wide, rounded on the under side, deeply channelled above ; the margin entire. Scape variable 

 in length, sometimes shorter, at other limes lorjger than the leaves. Spike 1-3 inches long; 

 the flowers loosely imbricated, at length somewhat remote. Bracts about as long as the calyx, 

 ovate, sometimes obtuse. Segments of the calyx obtuse ; those of the corolla acute and 

 reflexed. Stamens exserted. Capsule ovoid. Seeds elliptical. 



Salt-marshes, Long Island ; also on the Island*of New-York, and in Westchester county. 

 July - September. A native also of Europe. 



6. Plantago fusilla, Nutt. Dwarf Plantain. 



Annual, minutely pubescent ; leaves linear-subulate, flat, entire, acute ; scape terete, 

 slender, longer than the leaves ; spike cylindrical, loosely flowered ; bracts ovate, acute, as 

 long as the calyx; stamens included. — Nutt. gen. I. p. 100; Torr. fl. 1. p. 184. P. 

 hybrida, Bart. fl. Philad. 2. p. 214, and fl. N. Am. t. 98./. 1. P. linearifolia, Muhl. cat. 

 p. 15? 



Root fibrous. Leaves from half an inch to an inch in length, and scarcely half a line wide. 

 Scape 1-3 inches high, very slender ; the flowers often somewhat remote. Sepals obovate. 



