208 



PLANTAGINACEAE. 



[Vol. III. 



Plantago e 



riopoda Torr. Saline Plantain. (Fig. 3382.) 



Plantago glabra Nutt. Gen. i: ioo. 1818? 



Plantago eriopoda Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. 2: 237. 1827. 



Perennial, succulent; rootstock long, usually 

 densely covered with long brown hairs among the 

 bases of the leaves. Leaves oblong, oblong lanceo- 

 late, or oblanceolate, entire, or repand-dentate, 

 acute at the apex, narrowed into petioles, 5-9 rib- 

 bed, 3 / -i2 / long, y2.'-\Yz' wide, glabrous or very 

 nearly so; scapes stout, more or less pubescent, 

 longer than the leaves, &-\W high; spikes i / -5 / 

 long, dense above, the lower flowers scattered; 

 flowers perfect; sepals distinct, oblong-obovatewith 

 a narrow green midrib and broad scarious margins; 

 corolla glabrous, its lobes spreading or reflexed; 

 pyxis ovoid-oblong, very obtuse, one-third longer 

 than the calyx, 2-4-seeded, circumscissile below the 

 middle; seeds nearly flat. 



In maritime or saline soil, Nova Scotia to Minnesota, 

 California and the Northwest Territory. June-Sept. 



6. Plantago sparsifldra Michx. South- 

 ern Plantain. (Fig. 3383.) 



Plantago sparsi/lora Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 94. 

 1803. 



Perennial, pubescent, or glabrate; scapes very 

 slender, sometimes 2 tall, much longer than the 

 leaves. Leaves thin, oblong-lanceolate, s'-io' 

 long, j^ / -i / wide, 5-7-ribbed, acute or acuminate 

 at the apex, entire, narrowed into slightly mar- 

 gined petioles; spikes loosely flowered, sometimes 

 i long; flowers perfect; sepals oblong or oval, 

 rather rigid, with a broad green midrib and nar- 

 row scarious margins; corolla glabrous, its lobes 

 not erect over the fruit; pyxis oblong, 2}4 // long, 

 twice as long as the calyx, 2-seeded; seeds convex 

 on the back, slightly concave on the face. 



In sandy dry soil, North Carolina to Florida and 

 in southern Illinois. 



7. Plantago cordata L,am. Heart-leaved 

 Plantain. Water Plantain. (Fig. 3384.) 

 Plantago cordata Lam. Tabl. Encycl. 1: 338. 1791. 

 Perennial, glabrous, purple-green; rootstock 

 short, very stout. Leaves broadly ovate or nearly 

 orbicular, pinnately veined, obtuse or acute at 

 the apex, entire or dentate, rounded, abruptly 

 narrowed, or cordate at the base, often \o' long; 

 petioles stout, margined above; scapes stout, lon- 

 ger than the leaves; spikes loosely flowered, 

 sometimes i long, with interrupted clusters; 

 flowers perfect; sepals ovate to obovate, obtuse, 

 green; corolla-lobes spreading; pyxis ovoid- 

 globose, obtuse, circumscissile at or slightly 

 below the middle, 1-4-seeded; seeds not exca- 

 vated on the face. 



In swamps and along streams, New York to Ala- 

 bama, west to Missouri and Louisiana. March-July. 



