206 



PLANTAGINACEAE. 



[Vol,. III. 



branous, mostly marcescent, 4-lobed. Stamens 4 or 2 (only 1 in an Andean 

 genus), inserted on the tube or throat of the corolla; filaments filiform, exserted 

 or included; anthers versatile, 2-celled, the sacs longitudinally dehiscent. 

 Ovary sessile, superior, i-2-celled, or falsely 3-4-celled. Style filiform, simple, 

 mostly longitudinally stigmatic. . Ovules i-several in each cavity of the ovary, 

 peltate, amphitropous. Fruit a pyxis, circumscissile at or below the middle, or 

 an indehiscent nutlet. Seeds i-several in each cavity of the fruit; endosperm 

 fleshy; cotyledons narrow; radicle short, mostly straight. 

 Three genera and over 200 species, of wide geographic distribution. 

 Flowers in terminal spikes or heads; fruit a pyxis. i. Plantago. 



Flowers monoecious, the staminate solitary, peduncled, the pistillate sessile among the linear leaves; 

 fruit indehiscent. 2. Littorella. 



i. PLANTAGO L. Sp. PI. 112. 1753. 

 Acaulescent or short-stemmed herbs, the scapes arising from the axils of the basal or al- 

 ternate leaves, bearing terminal spikes or heads of small greenish or purplish flowers (flowers 

 solitary in a few exotic species). Calyx-segments equal, or two of them larger. Corolla 

 salverform, the tube cylindric, or constricted at the throat, the limb spreading in authesis, 

 erect, spreading or reflexed in fruit, 4-lobed or 4-parted. Stamens 4 or 2. Ovary 2-celled, or 

 falsely 3-4-celled ; ovules i-several in each cavity. Fruit a membranous pyxis,mostly 2-celled. 

 Seeds various, sometimes hollowed out on the inner side. [The Latin name.] 



Over 200 species, of wide geographic distribution. Besides the following, some 6 others occur 

 in the western and southwestern parts of North America. Known as Plantain, Ribwort or Road-weed. 



% Stem acaulescent; flowers spicate or capitate at the ends of scapes. 

 Corolla-lobes spreading or reflexed in fruit, not closed over the top of the pyxis. 

 Leaves ovate, lanceolate or oblong. 



Seeds several or many in each pyxis. 



Pyxis ovoid, circumscissile at about the middle. 1. P. major. 



Pyxis oblong, circumscissile much below the middle. 2. P. Rugelii. 



Seeds 2-4 in each pyxis. 



Leaves all narrowed at the base, parallel- ribbed. 

 Seeds excavated on the inner side. 

 Seeds fiat or but slightly concave on the inner side. 

 Capsule equalling or a little longer than the calyx. 



Spike very dense; leaves pubescent. 4. 



3. P. lanceolata. 



Lower flowers scattered ; leaves glabrous or very nearly so. 5. 



6. 



P. media. 

 P. eriopoda. 

 P. sparsiflora. 

 P. cordata. 



8. P. maritima. 



9- 



10. 



P. Pur ski i. 

 P. aristata. 



11. P. Virginica. 



12, 



P. 

 P. 



elongata. 

 heterophylla. 



14. P. arenaria. 



(Fig. 3378.) 



Capsule twice as long as the calyx. 

 Leaves, or some of them, cordate; veins starting from the midrib. 

 Leaves linear or filiform. 



Leaves fleshy; plant maritime. 

 Leaves not flesl^; plants not maritime. 



Spike densely tomentose; bracts usually not longer than calyx. 

 Plant green and glabrate; bracts much longer than the calyx. 

 Corolla-lobes erect and closed over the top of the pyxis. 

 Leaves spatulate to obovate; stamens 4. 

 Leaves linear-filiform; stamens 2. 



Capsule about 4-seeded, slightly exceeding the calyx. 



Capsule 8-20-seeded, twice as long as the calyx. 



vr -X- Stem erect, leafy; flowers capitate at the ends of axillary peduncles. 



i. Plantago major L. Common, or Greater Plantain 



Pla?itago major L- Sp. PI. 112. \K1753. 



Perennial, glabrous or somewhat pubescent; 

 rootstock short, thick, erect; scapes longer than 

 the leaves. Leaves spreading or ascending, 

 long-petioled, mostly ovate, obtuse or acutish, 

 narrowed, rounded or cordate at the base, entire, 

 or coarsely dentate, i / -io / long, 3-11-ribbed; 

 scapes 2 / ~3 high; spike linear-cylindric, us- 

 ually very dense, commonly blunt at the sum- 

 mit, 2 / -io / long, z"-\" thick; flowers perfect, 

 proterogynous; sepals broadly ovate to obovate, 

 scarious on the margins, one-half to two-thirds 

 as long as the ovoid obtuse or subacute, 5-16- 

 seeded pyxis, which is circumscissile at about 

 the middle; corolla-lobes spreading or reflexed 

 on the summit of the pyxis; stamens 4. 



In waste places, nearly throughout North Amer- 

 ica. Naturalized from Europe, or perhaps indige- 

 nous in the far North and on salt meadows. Small 

 leaves are occasionally borne near the bases of the 

 spikes, and the spikes are rarely branched. The salt 

 meadow plant may be distinct. May-Sept. Old 

 names, Bird-seed, Broad-leaf, Hen-plant, Lamb's-foot, Waybread, Healing-blade, Dooryard Plantain. 



