Plantago media 
Hoary Plantain, 
PLANTAGO Lin. Gen. PI. Tetrandria Monogynia. 
Cal. 4-fidus. Cor. 4-fida: limbo reflexo. Stamina longiflima. Cap/ 
2-locularis, circumfcifia. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 22. Herbie vasculiferje flore tetrapetalo anomale. 
PLANTAGO media foliis ovato-lanceolatis pubefcentibus, fpica cylindrica, fcapo tereti. Lin. Syji. 
V egctab. p- 1 3 1. Sp. PI. p. 163. FI. Suec. n. 130. 
PLANTAGO foliis fubhirfutis, ellipticis, fpica cylindrica denfa. Haller. Hi/l. n. 659. 
PLANTAGO media. Scopoli FI. Carniol. 162. 
PLANTAGO latifolia incana. Bauhin. Pin. 189. 
PLANTAGO major incana. Parkins. 493. 
PLANTAGO incana. Ger. emac. 419. Raii Syn. p. 314. Hoary Plantain, or Lamb’s Tongue, 
Hudfon FI. Angl. ed. 2. p. 63. Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 117. 
RADIX perennis, craflitie digiti aut pollicis, fubconica, 
apice in crura aliquot divifa, extus nigricans, 
plurimis fibrillis inftru&a. 
FOLIA ovata, breviffime petiolata, fupra terram ex- : 
panfa, interioribus fenfim minoribus, quinque- ' 
nervia, fubrugofa, utrinque pubefcentia, inte 
gerrima. 
SCAPI plures, teretes, infra folia prodeuntes, fpitha- 
msei, aut pedales, ere&i, pubefcentes, pube 
fuperne eredta, adpreffa. 
SPIGZE florum cylindricas, pollicares aut palmares. ; 
BRACTEA, feu fquamula lanceolata, concava, margine: 
membranacea, fingulo flofculo fubjicitur, lon- ; 
gitudine calycis. 
CALYX : Perianthium quadripartitum, eredtum, per- ' 
fiftens; laciniis ovatis, acutiufculis, membra- : 
naceis, nervo viridi infignitis. Jig. 1. 
COROLLA monopetala, perfiftens, tabefcens. Tubus 
cylindraceus, bafi globofus. Limbus quadri- 
partitus, deprelfus, laciniis ovatis, acutis. Jig. 2. 
STAMINA : Filamenta quatuor, capillaria, ere&o- 
patentia, calyce triplo longiora, purpurafcentia. 
Anther.® alba?, incumbentes, una extremi- 
tate bifidA, altera mucronati. Jig. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen ovatum. Stylus filiformis, 
pilofus, flaminibus brevior. Stigma fimplex. 
te-, a* . . ■ 
PERICARPIUM : Capsula ovalis, circumfciffa, dif- 
perma. Jig. 6. 
SEMINA bina, hinc convexa, inde plano concava. 
fis- 7- 
ROOT perennial, the thicknefs of one’s finger or 
thumb, fomewhat conic, dividing at the top 
into a few branches, externally of a blackilh 
colour, and furnifhed with numerous fibres. 
LEAVES ovate, ftanding on very fliort foot-ftalks, 
expanded on the ground, the inuermoft gra- 
dually fmalleft, having five ribs, fomewhat 
wrinkly, downy on both fidts, and entire at 
the edges. 
FLOWERING-STEMS feveral, round, proceeding from 
below the leaves, from feven inches to a foot 
in height, upright, downy, the hairs on the 
; upper part of it upright, and prefled to the 
: flalk. 
; SPIKES of the flowers cylindrical, from one to four 
: inches in length. 
FLORAL-LEAF, a floral-leaf or lanceolate fmall hol- 
low fcale, membranous at the edge, and of the 
length of the calyx, is placed under each floret. 
CALYX: a Perianthium deeply divided into four 
fegments, ere£t and permanent ; the fegments 
ovate, a little pointed, membranous, and 
marked with a green rib. fig. 1. 
COROLLA monopetalous, permanent, withered. Tube 
cylindrical, with a globular bafe. Limb divi- 
ded into four fegments, which are prefled 
downwards, ovate and pointed. Jig. 2. 
STAMINA: four Filaments very {lender, fomewhat 
fpreading, thrice the length of the calyx, of a 
a purplilh colour. Anthers white, laying 
acrofs the filaments, one end bifid, the other 
pointed. Jig. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen ovate. Style tbread-fhaped, 
hairy, fliorter than the flamina. Stigma 
Ample. Jig. 4. 
SEED-VESSEL: an oval Capsule, dividing horizon- 
tally in the middle, and containing two feeds. 
fig - 6 - 
SEEDS two together, convex on one fide, and plano-con- 
cave on the other. Jig. 7. 
This fpecies of Plantain has a large root when fully grown, which penetrates deep into the earth, and being 
fupplied with numerous lateral fibres, it fupports itfelf in the moft fcorching feafons, when the plants around it 
are frequently burnt up. It is alfo one of thofe plants which are not deftroyed by repeated mowing, as moft 
lawns and grafs plats fufficiently teftify. 
It may be diftinguifhed from the common Plantain by the leaves being fmaller, and hoary, ftanding on fliorter 
foot-ftalks, lying clofe to the ground, and having no notches on the edges; by its fpikes being fhorter, its filaments 
longer, its antherae whiter and more fhowy, and, if any other difference were wanting, we might add, that its 
caplules, inftead of many, contain only two feeds, as in the lanceolata. 
About London it is not fo common as either the lanceolata or major ; but where the foil is chalky no plant occurs 
more frequently. It flowers from June to Augujl. 
Sheep, Goats, and Swine, eat it; Kine and Horfes refufe it. Lin. Pan . Suec. 
