Plantago.] LX. PLANTAGINE^3. 367 



and south of Scotland, but not in Ireland, except where introduced. 

 PL early summer, and often again in autumn. 



3. P. lanceolata, Linn. (fig. 830). Ribwort P. Rootstock short, 

 lint thick and woody, and often much branched, bearing tufts of woolly 

 hairs among the leaves. Leaves erect or spreading, lanceolate, varying 

 much in size, but usually 2 to 4 inches long, slightly hairy, with 3 or 5 

 ribs, and more or less tapering into a stalk at the base. Peduncles 

 longer than the leaves, erect and angular. Spike ovoid or oblong, 

 usually 6 lines to near an inch long, but sometimes very small and 

 globular, or, in very luxuriant specimens, becoming cylindrical, and 

 exceeding an inch. Sepals scarious, marked with a prominent green 

 rib ; the two lower ones often combined into one. Stamens more than 

 twice as long as the corolla, with slender white filaments and yellow 

 anthers. Capsule with 2 hemispherical seeds attached to the partition 

 by their inner face. 



In meadows, pastures, and waste places, with the same widely ex- 

 tended geographical range as P, major, and equally abundant in Britain. 

 Fl. the whole season. [A variety, P. Timbali, Jord., with broad silvery 

 margins of the bracts and sepals, occurs in fields, &c., but is not in- 

 digenous.] 



4. P. maritima, Linn. (fig. 831). Sea P. Stock often more 

 branched than in the preceding species, with some long hairs in tufts 

 among the leaves. Leaves narrow-linear, thick and fleshy, pointed, 

 entire or slightly toothed, with scarcely prominent ribs. Peduncles 

 cylindrical, longer than the leaves. Spike cylindrical, 1 to 2 inches 

 long, not so dense or so thick as in the two preceding species. 

 Flowers rather smaller than in P. lanceolata. Sepals all usually dis- 

 tinct. Capsules with 2 seeds only. 



On muddy sea-shores, and in salt-marshes, in Europe, central Asia, 

 at the northern and western extremities of America, and in South 

 Africa. It occurs also occasionally inland, especially in the principal 

 mountain-ranges of Europe. Frequent on the British coasts and on 

 some of the Scotch and Yorkshire mountains. Fl. late in summer and 

 autumn. 



5. P. Coronopus, Linn. (fig. 832). Sucks-horn P. Rootstock short 

 and thick, scarcely branched. Leaves spreading, in a dense tuft, linear 

 or linear-lanceolate, or pinnatifid with linear segments, more or less 

 hairy, with scarcely prominent ribs. Spikes cylindrical, 1 to 2 inches 

 long. The flowers rather smaller than in P. maritima; the sepals broad 

 and ciliate. Ovary with 4 cells, each with a single ovule, but it often 

 happens that only 1 or 2 in each capsule attain their maturity. 



In dry, stony, or sandy situations, especially near the sea, in Europe, 

 north Africa, and western Asia. Common in Britain. Fl. summer and 

 autumn. 



II. LITTORELLA. LITTOREL. 



A single species, distinguished generally from Plantago by the in- 

 florescence, the monoecious flowers, and a 1 -seeded, indehiscent fruit. 



1. L. lacustris, Linn. (fig. 833). LittoreL The small perennial root- 

 stock bears a tuft of bright green, narrow-linear, entire radical leaves. 



