PLAXTAGIXE.E 



397 



Cotyledons linear, obtuse or subacute, with hyaline bristle-like 

 hairs, about 8 mm. long. 



Stem herbaceous, with undeveloped internodes. 



Leaves simple, radical, alternate, exstipulate, petiolate in the 

 adult stage, coarsely hairy all over with whitish bristle-like hairs, 

 trinerved in the adult stage, the nerves branching into the primary 

 divisions of the leaf ; petiole indistinguishable from the leaf in the 

 seedling stage, trinerved and grooved in 

 the adult, hairy, dilated and sheathing 

 at the base. 



Primary leaves linear, similar to but 

 larger and longer than the cotyledons. 



Ultimate leaves lanceolate, entire 

 or more or less deeply pinnatifid ; seg- 

 ments oblong, linear or lanceolate, 

 acute, entire or slightly toothed or 

 lobed. 



Germination. The seeds germi- 

 nated in three days. 



The radicle is first protruded and 

 soon establishes itself in the ground, 

 sending out root-hairs. 



The hypocotyl then emerges, and 

 together with the basal part of the 

 cotyledons forms an arch by which 

 (using the radicle as a fulcrum or holdfast) the upper parts of the 

 cotyledons are pulled out. 



The epithelial cells of the seed become mucilaginous in the 

 presence of moisture, and attaching themselves firmly to the soil 

 retain the testa there while the cotyledons are being pulled out. 

 The testa is rarely pulled out of the ground. 



The cotyledons emerge from the seed with their edges upward ; 

 they are at first closely applied face to face, but gradually diverge 

 and open, and turn their faces upwards to the light, while the tips 

 retain the curve for a considerable time. 



Plantago ar en aria, W. et Kit. 



Ovary two-celled, with one peltate, amphitropous ovule in each 

 cell, attached in a depression of the thickened placenta about half 

 way between the base and apex of the cell. 



Capsule ovoid, dehiscing circumscissly about the middle, two- 

 celled, two -seeded, glabrous. 



Seed oblong or ovate-oblong, tapering slightly upwards but blunt 



FIG. 599. Plantago Coronopus. 

 Nat. size. 



