464 DICOTYLEDONS AND CONIFERS 



succeeding lists of introduced plants it has appeared. At the present 

 time it is most abundant in fields and waste places throughout the 

 country. 



Guppy (and others) have pointed out that the seeds of Plantago 

 major, P. lanceolata, etc., become coated with a mucilaginous material 

 when wetted. He says : 



In 1892, when experimenting on these plants, I found that the wetted 

 seeds adhere firmly to a feather, so that it could be blown about without 

 their becoming detached. My readers can readily ascertain by a simple 

 experiment that a bird pecking the fruit-spikes in wet weather would 

 often carry away some of the sticky seeds in its plumage. Several years 

 ago, when I was endeavouring to examine the condition of these seeds in 

 the droppings of a canary, my efi^orts were defeated by the bird itself, 

 since, in spite of all my care, some seeds and capsules were always carried 

 by the bird on its feathers into the clean cage reserved for the experiment. 



For some reason or other which is not understood Plantago major 

 is not eaten by cattle or other grazing animals, and hence it spreads 

 more or less undisturbed. Kerner suggests that it is probable that to 

 eat them would be injurious to grazing animals, because though it 

 contains no alkaloids, and is not poisonous to men, yet they carefully 

 avoid it. 



Kerner states that an average-sized plant of this species produces 

 14,000 seeds in a year. 



Plantago media, Linn. 



First recorded by Kirk in 1869 in his Ust of Auckland plants. 

 In 1877 Kirk, on the authority of J. Buchanan, reports a single 

 specimen from Wellington. In the Manual (1906) it is stated to occur 

 in fields and waste places in both islands, but not commonly. 



Plantago lanceolata, Linn. Ribwort ; Rib-grass 



First recorded in Hooker's list in 1864. It has appeared in every 

 succeeding list of naturalised plants, and at the present time is one 

 of the commonest introduced plants in the country. 



In Europe the flowers are visited by hive-bees {Apis mellijica) for 

 pollen ; and less commonly by Bombus terrestris. 



Plantago varia, R. Br. 



Kirk in 1877 states: "this plant has for several years maintained 

 a struggling existence in Boulcott Street, Wellington, but appears 

 doomed to speedy extinction from the progress of street improve- 

 ments." Recorded by Cheeseman in the Manual (1906) as "sparingly 

 naturalised in several localities between the East Cape and Banks 

 Peninsula." Introduced from Australia. 



