11. Plantago Pusilla Nutt. Slender Plantain

Fig. 3908

Plantago pusilla Nutt. Gen. 1: 100. 1818.

Annual, puberulent; scapes filiform, 2-7' high, longer than the linear-filiform, mostly entire, blunt-pointed obscurely 1-nerved leaves. Leaves about ¥' wide; spikes slender, linear, rather loosely flowered, 1/2'-3' long, 1 1/2"-2" thick; flowers imperfectly dioecious or polygamous; sepals oblong, obtuse, about as long as the bract, scarious-margined; corolla-lobes of the more fertile plants becoming erect over the pyxis; stamens 2; pyxis ovoid-oblong, obtuse, one-fourth to one-third longer than the calyx, about 4-seeded, cir-cumscissile at about the middle; seeds nearly flat on both sides.

In dry sandy soil, Massachusetts to Georgia, Illinois, Kansas and Texas. April-Aug.

Plantago elongata Pursh, to which this was referred in our first edition, differs by larger seeds and saccate bracts, and enters our western limits in Nebraska.

12. Plantago Heterophylla Nutt. Many-Seeded Plantain

Fig. 3909

Plantago heterophylla Nutt. Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. (II.) 5: 177. 1833-37- Annual, similar to the preceding species, but glabrous or slightly puberulent; scapes ascending or spreading, equalling or exceeding the leaves, 2'-10' long. Leaves narrowly linear or filiform, the larger about 2" wide, entire or often with several distant small teeth or linear lobes; spikes loose, linear, 1/2'-5' long; sepals oblong, obtuse, scarious-margined, mostly shorter than the bract; corolla-lobes in the more fertile plants becoming erect over the pyxis; stamens 2; pyxis oblong, subacute, about twice as long as the calyx, 7-30-seeded, circumscissile rather below the middle; seeds somewhat angled, scarcely concave on the face.

In moist soil, New Jersey to Florida, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas and apparently introduced in California. April-July.

13. Plantago Arenaria W. & K Sand Plantain

Fig. 3910

Plantago arenaria W. & K. Pl. Rar. Hung. 1: 51. pl. 51. 1802.

Annual, pubescent, somewhat viscid; stem simple, or commonly becoming much branched, leafy, 3'-15' high. Leaves opposite, or whorled, narrowly linear, entire, sessile, 1'-3' long, about 1" wide; peduncles axillary, often umbellate at the ends of the stem and branches, slender, as long as the leaves or longer; heads of flowers conic, oval, or subglobose, 5"-10" long, about 5" thick; lower bracts acute or acuminate; calyx-lobes unequal; corolla-lobes ovate to lanceolate, acute; capsule 2-seeded.

Fields, Dayton, Ohio, and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Adventive from central Europe. Summer.