,'434 THE PLAIfTAIN FAMILY. 



In di-y, close pastures, cliiefly in limestone districts, in most parts of 

 Europe and western Asia. Abundant in similar situations in England, Ire- 

 land, and south of Scotland. Fl. early summer, and often again in autumn. 



3. Ribwort Plantain. Flantago lanceolata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 507. Ribwort.) 



Rootstock short, but thick and woody, and often much branched, bearing 

 tufts of woolly hairs among the leaves. Leaves erect or spreading, lan- 

 ceolate, 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 incfi 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 2 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 extended 

 geographical range as the greater P., and equally abundant in Britain. Fl. 

 the whole season. 



4. Sea Plantain. Plantag^o maritima^ Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 175.) 



Stock often more branched than in the preceding species, with some long 

 hiiirs in tufts among the leaves. Leaves narrow-linear, thick and fleshy, 

 pointed, entu-e or shghtly toothed, with scarcely prominent ribs. Pedun- 

 cles eyhndrical, longer than the leaves. Spike cyhndrical, 1 to 2 inches long, 

 not so dense or so thick as in the two preceding species. Elowers rather 

 smaller than in the ribwort P. Sepals all usually distinct. 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 in some of the Scotch 

 Highlands. Fl. late in summer, and autumn. 



5. Buckshorn Plantain. Plantago Coronopus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 892.) 



Kootstock short and thick, scarcely branched. Leaves spreading, in a 

 dense tuft, hnear or linear-lanceolate, or pinnatifid vrith Unear segments, 

 more or less hairy, with scarcely prominent ribs. Spikes cylindrical, 1 to 2 

 inches long. The flowers rather smaller than in the sea P.; the sepals 

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

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



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

 north Aji'ica, and western Asia. Common in Britain. Fl. summer and 

 autumn. 



II. I.XTTOREL. LITTOEELLA. 



A single species, distinguished generally from Plantain by the inflores- 

 cence, the monoecious flowers, and a 1-seeded, iudehiscent fruit. 



