684 



THE PLANTAIN FAMILY. 



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

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

 Britain. Fl. the whole season. 



4. Sea Plantain. Plantago maritima, Linn. (Fig. 823.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 175.) 



Stock often more branched than in the 

 preceding species, with some long hairs 

 in tufts among the leaves. Leaves nar- 

 row-linear, thick and fleshy, pointed, 

 entire or slightly toothed, with scarcely 

 prominent ribs. Peduncles cylindrical, 

 longer than the leaves. Spike cylin- 

 drical, 1 to 2 inches long, not so dense 

 or so thick as in the two preceding 

 species. Flowers rather smaller than in 

 the ribwort P. 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 oc- 

 curs also occasionally inland, especially 

 in the principal mountain-ranges of Eu- 

 rope. Frequent on the British coasts and in some of the Scotch 

 Highlands. Fl. late in summer, and autumn. 



Fig. 823. 



5. Buckshorn Plantain. Plantago Coronopus, Linn. 

 (Fig. 824.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 892.) 



Rootstock short and thick, scarcely 

 branched. Leaves spreading, in a dense 

 tuft, linear or linear-lanceolate, or pin- 

 natifid with linear 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 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 ma- 

 turity. 



Fig. 824. 



