NOTES. 
ON THE ‘PROLIFEROUS’ FORM OF THE SCAPE OF PLANTAGO 
LANCEOLA TA .—In Masters’ ‘ Teratology’ there will be found a description, at 
pp. 108 et seq., of various forms of abnormal scapes in the genus Plantago. They are 
put into five groups, after Schlechtendal (Bot. Zeit., 1857, P* 873). Two of these groups 
are : the £ roseate ’ form of Plantago media — the garden rose-plantain ; and the 
‘ proliferous ’ of Plantago lanceolata. The other three need not concern us, but the 
suggestion is made that all five are built on the same plan, that is, of growth-increase 
in the various parts already existing in the spike. Masters, describing the ‘ proliferous ’ 
form of spike, says it consists of ‘ several spikes, some sessile, others stalked and 
pendent, the whole intermixed with leaves and disposed in a rose-like manner 
Fig. 1. First specimen of vegetative abnormality on the scape of Plantago lanceolata. 
The ‘ proliferous ’ form is rather rare, but the writer has to record the finding of 
two specimens in two different localities near Dublin in one afternoon, viz. by the 
towpath of the Royal Canal at the Liffey Junction Station and near the top of 
Knockmaroon Hill. 
First of all, as to the general features of the abnormalities. Fig. 1, a, is a repre- 
sentation of the first specimen. The large ribbed flower scape ( a ) is shown. It was 
surmounted by a plant — much more rosette-like than the parent — which consisted of 
seven well-developed leaves. Only six are drawn. The leaves were fairly large, 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XXX. No. CXVIII. April, 1916.} 
