Plantago lanceolata. Narro w-leaved Plantain or 
Ribwort. 
PLANTAGO Linneei Gen. Pl. Tetrandria Monogynia. 
Cal. 4-fidus. Cor. 4-fida : limbo reflexo. Stamina longifiima. Caps. 
2-locularis, circumfcifla. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 22. Herb.® vasculifer®, flore tetrapetalo asomal®. 
PLANTAGO lanceolata foliis lanceolatis, fpica fubovata nuda, fcapo angulato. Llnn.SyJi. Vegetab.p. 131. 
PLANTAGO foliis lanceolatis quinquenerviis, fcapo nudo, fpica ovata. Haller hifi. n. 656. 
PLANTAGO lanceolata. Scopoli FI. Carnlol. p. 108. n. 163. 
PLANTAGO anguftifolia major. Bauhln Pin. 189. 
PLANTAGO quinquenervia. Gerard emac. 422. 
PLANTAGO quinquenervia major. Parkinfon 495- Ran Syn. p. 314» Ribwort or Ribwort-Plantain, 
Hudfon FI. Angl. p. 52. Oeder FI. Dan. icon. 437. 
RADIX perennis, fufca, fibris mullis inftru&a, per | 
• tetatem pramiorfa. | 
! 
FOLIA longe petiolata, bafi purpurea, lanuginofa, lan- | 
ceolata, quoad latitudinem infigniter variantia, % 
quinquenervia, rariter dentata, hirfutula, e- | 
refta, nonnunquam vero patentia. ^ 
t 
SCAPUS foliis longior, fimplex, fulcato-angulofus, | 
fubtortuofus, ere&us. f 
* 
SPICAE ovato-oblongse, nigricantes. | 
BRACTiEA finguloflolculoimpofita, ovato-acuminata, $ 
concava, Jig. 1. | 
CALYX: Perianthium triphyllum, foliolis inasquali- $ 
bus, duo lateralia cymbiformia, acuta, fig.. 3, | 
dorfale ovatum, obtufum, emarginatum, lineis | 
duabus viridibus notatum, fig. 2. t 
COROLLA monopetala, tubulofa, membranacea, cy- | 
lindraceo-globofa, limbus quadripartitus, la- ^ 
ciniis ovato-acutis, patentibus, dempto calyce | 
reflexis, fig. 4. | 
STAMINA: Filamenta quatuor -longifiima : An- | 
ther® albida; aut flavefcentes, fig. 5. f 
PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum : Stylus filiformis, J 
flaminibus dimidio brevior : Stigma fimplex, | 
fig. 6. _ | 
PERICARPIUM : Capsula ovata, bilocularis, cir- | 
cumfcifla, diflepimento libero, fig. 7, 8. ■% 
¥ 
SEMINA duo, oblonga, nitida, fuccinei coloris, hinc | 
convexa inde concava, Jig. 9, 10, 11. 
ROOT perennial, of a brown colour, furnifhed with 
numerous fibres, when grown old appearing 
as if bitten off. 
LEAVES ffanding on long foot-ftalks, purple and 
woolly at bottom, lanceolate, varying remarka- 
bly in their breadth, having five ribs, and a 
few teeth at the edges, fomewhat hairy, up- 
right, but fometimes fpreading. 
FLOWERING-STALK longer than the leaves, Am- 
ple, angular and grooved, flightly twifted and 
upright. 
SPIKES of an oval oblong fhape and blackiffi colour. 
BRACTEiE or floral leaf, placed under each flofcule, 
oval-pointed, and concave, fig. 1 . 
CALYX: a Perianthium of three unequal leaves, 
the two fide ones boat-ffiaped, and pointed, 
fig. 3 ; the back leaf oval, obtufe, emarginate, 
fig. 2, and marked with two green lines. 
COROLLA monopetalous, tubular, membranous, of 
a form betwixt globular and cylindrical ; the 
limb quadripartite ; the fegments of an oval 
pointed fhape, and fpreading, on the removal 
of the calyx turning back, fig. 4. 
STAMINA: four very long Filaments : Anther® 
white or yellowifh, fig. 5. 
PISTILLUM : Germen oval : Style filiform, half 
the length of the flamina: Stigma Ample, 
Jig- 6. 
SEED - VESSEL : an oval Capsule of two cavities, 
dividing horizontally in the middle, the difle- 
pimentum or partition loofe, fig. 7, 8. 
SEEDS two, oblong, fhining, of an amber colour, 
convex on one fide and concave on the other, 
fig. 9, 10, 11. 
THE Farmers in general confider this fpecies of Plantain as a favourite food of fheep, and other cattle, hence 
it is frequently recommended in the laying down of meadow and pafture land ; and the feed is for that purpofe 
kept in the fhops. How far the predilection of cattle for this herb is founded in truth we cannot at prefent 
determine ; nor do we pretend to fay how far it is oeconomical (fuppofing the fa£t to be fo) to fubftitute this 
plant in the room of others which produce a much greater crop, and which they fhew no averfion to. We fhould 
be rather inclined to think, that Plantain (or Rib-Grafis as it is called) fhould be but fparingly made ufe of, 
particularly if the Farmers chief aim be a crop. 
When the Plantain grows among pafturage, its leaves are drawn up to a confiderable height : but when 
it occurs in a dry and barren foil, they are fhorter, broader, and more fpread on the ground; and fometimes 
they aflume a filvery hue. 
It grows fpontaneoufly by the fides of roads, and in dry paftures ; flowering early in the fummer. 
