Plantago cornuti, Gouan

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 40

3. P. cornuti Gouan , Obs. Bot. 6 (1773).

Perennial with one rosette. Leaves (7—)15—30(—35) x (2-)4-8(-13) cm; lamina elliptical or ovate-elliptical, entire, 5- to 7-veined, glabrous or sparsely appressed-hairy, gradually narrowed into a petiole half as long to as long as lamina. Scapes about twice as long as leaves, striate, glabrous or sparsely appressed-hairy; spikes usually somewhat shorter than rest of scape, lax or dense, interrupted at base. Bracts c. 1-5 mm, ovate-orbicular, glabrous, or with hairs on keel and ciliate above. Sepals 3-4 mm, subequal, glabrous, blackish, with narrow scarious margins. Corolla-tube 3-4 mm, glabrous; lobes c. 1-5 mm, ovate-orbicular, shortly acuminate, glabrous. Stamens exserted c. 4 mm. Capsule c. 4 mm; seeds 4, 2-3 mm, oblong-elliptical, plano-convex. 2n=12. Damp, often saline habitats. S. halfof U.S.S.R., extending to coasts ofRomania and Bulgaria', locally on coasts of W. & C. Mediterranean region. Bu Ga Hs It Ju Rm Rs (C, W, K, E). (4-10). P. coronopus group. Annuals, biennials or perennials with one to many rosettes. Leaves linear to lanceolate, entire to pinnatifid, somewhat contracted at the base. Scapes terete. Bracts ovate-lanceolate, with variably prominent keel and scarious, ciliate margin. Sepals unequal, free, keeled to the apex, with membranous margins. Corolla-tube pubescent. Capsule 2-(to 3-)locular; seeds 1—4(—6), ellipsoid, plano-convex, smooth.

In this group hybridization occurs between species having the same basic chromosome number, especially when they are at the same level of polyploidy, and this can often make the determination of material difficult, particularly since there can be considerable variation within taxa in relation to distribution and ecological conditions.

1 Leaves regularly and distinctly toothed to pinnatifid

2 Leaves serrate; ovules 2-3 6. serraria 2 Leaves 1- to 2-pinnatifid or dentate; ovules 3-5

3 Annual, biennial or perennial; stock not or scarcely branched; capsule 3-locular; corolla-lobes c. 1 mm

4. coronopus 3 Perennial; stock usually distinctly branched; capsule 2-locular; corolla-lobes 1-6-2-2 mm 5. macrorhiza 1 Leaves entire or with a few, small, irregular teeth

4 Stock unbranched, with a solitary rosette; capsule 3-locular

4. coronopus 4 Stock branched, with several rosettes; capsule 2-locular

5 Leaves c. 1 mm wide, rigid, trigonous at least at apex; stock densely branched 9. subulata 5 Leaves more than 1 mm wide, not rigid, flat or semicircular in section; stock laxly branched

6 Posterior sepals with wing about half as wide as rest of sepal 7. crassifolia 6 Posterior sepals with very narrow wing

7 Leaves ± thick and rigid, not dimorphic 8. maritima 7 Leaves thin and flaccid, dimorphic: those subtending the scapes broadly triangular, the rest linear 10. alpina