# Manual of the New Zealand Flora/Plantagineæ

Order LX. PLANTAGINEÆ.
Perennial or annual usually stemless herbs. Leaves generally radical, tufted or spreading, simple, flat, nerved. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, often dimorphic, generally in spikes terminating naked axillary scapes. Calyx inferior, persistent, deeply 4-partite, imbricate. Corolla gamopetalous, hypogynous, scarious; tube cylindric; limb with 4 spreading lobes with incurved margins. Stamens 4, rarely fewer, inserted on the tube of the corolla and alternate with its lobes; filaments usually long, capillary, exserted; anthers large, versatile. Ovary superior, 2–4-celled; style filiform, with two lines of stigmatic papillæ; ovules few or many affixed to the septum, or solitary and basal in each cell. Fruit a 1–4-celled capsule with transverse dehiscence. Seeds usually peltate; albumen fleshy; embryo cylindric, radicle inferior.
A small and very distinct order, widely spread over the globe, but most abundant in temperate regions. Genera 3; species variously estimated, from 60 to over 200. The properties of the order are unimportant, and the species are mostly of unattractive appearance.
PLANTAGO, Linn.
Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves all radical and rosulate, or rarely (in species not found in New Zealand) cauline and opposite or alternate. Scapes from the axils of the leaves, bearing at the top a few- or many-flowered spike of small greenish flowers. Flowers hermaphrodite, often dimorphic. Calyx-segments subequal. Corolla scarious, persistent, 4-lobed. Stamens 4, inserted on the tube of the corolla at or above the middle. Ovary 2-celled or spuriously 3–4-celled; ovules 1 to many in each cell. Capsule membranous, 2-celled or by abortion 1-celled, dehiscence circumscissile. Seeds laterally attached.
The genus includes the whole order except the monotypic genera Littorella and Bougeria, and has a world-wide distribution. With the exception of P. Brownii, which extends to Australia, all the New Zealand species are endemic. Several species from the Northern Hemisphere have become naturalised, the most abundant being P. major, Linn, and P. lanceolata, Linn.
| * Scapes many-flowered. |
| Leaves 2–4 in., ovate or obovate. Spikes 2–6 in. Capsule 2-seeded | 1. P. aucklandica. |
| Leaves 2–10 in., lanceolate. Spikes ⅓–1 in. Bracts and calyx-segments glabrous. Capsule 4-seeded | 2. P. Raoulii. |
| Leaves 1–5 in., oblong-lanceolate. Spikes ¼–1 in. Bracts and calyx-segments pilose and ciliate | 3. P. spathulate. |
| ** Scapes few-flowered. Plants small; leaves ¼–2 in. long. |
| Leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Scape 1–8-flowered. Calyx-segments obtuse, glabrous. Capsule 8-seeded | 4. P. Brownii. |
| Leaves oblong-spathulate, densely clothed with tortuous woolly hairs. Scape 1–5-flowered. Calyx-segments subacute. Capsule 12–15-seeded | 5. P. lanigera. |
| Leaves linear or lanceolate, densely villous at the base. Scape 1-flowered. Calyx-segments very minute, obtuse. Corolla-lobes and stamens often 3. Capsule 20–30-seeded | 6. P. triandra. |
| Leaves linear-lanceolate, villous at the base. Scape 1-flowered. Calyx-segments acute, more than half as long as the capsule | 7. P. uniflora. |
1. P. aucklandica, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 64, t. 42.—Rhizome stout, often as thick as the thumb, 3–4 in. long, sometimes elongated above the ground, rarely branched at the top. Leaves all radical, densely crowded, 2–4 in. long, elliptic-obovate to obovate-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, gradually narrowed into a short broad petiole, glabrous, fleshy, 7–10-nerved, remotely and obscurely sinuate-dentate; petioles villous at the very base with long soft brown hairs. Scapes numerous, stout, pilose or pubescent, much longer than the leaves. Spikes 2–6 in. long; flowers small, sessile, densely packed above the middle of the spike, laxly placed towards the base. Bracts broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, glabrous, rather shorter than the calyx; corolla-lobes elliptic-oblong, acute, patent or reflexed. Capsule ovoid, about twice as long as the calyx, 2-seeded.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 228.
Auckland Islands: Not uncommon on the hills, alt. 1000ft., Sir J. D. Hooker, Kirk! F. R. Chapman!
A very distinct species, with something of the habit of the European P. media, Linn.
2. P. Raoulii, Decne. in D.C. Prodr. xiii. i. 703.—Rootstock short, stout. Leaves numerous, all radical, erect or rosulate, 2–10 in. long, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, subacute, narrowed into a rather long broad petiole, irregularly sinuate-toothed or quite entire, 3–5-nerved, more or less pilose or almost ​hispid; petioles villous at the base with long brown silky hairs. Scapes longer than the leaves, few or many, slender, strict, pilose, terminating in a rather dense spike ⅓–1 in. long. Bracts orbicular, obtuse, glabrous, broadly margined. Calyx-segments broadly ovate, with a thick fleshy keel and broad membranous margins, glabrous. Corolla-tube about as long as the calyx, lobes very small. Capsule twice as long as the calyx, conic, acute; seeds usually 4.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 208; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 228. P. varia, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 370. (not of B. Br.); Raoul, Choix, 44. P. dasyphylla, Col. in. Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 393.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Common throughout, on moist banks, &c. Sea-level to 3500 ft. Flowers throughout the spring and summer.
Very closely allied to the Australian P. varia, which has become sparingly naturalised in the colony, but the spike is shorter and more glabrous, and the flowers are smaller.
3. P. spathulata, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 208.—Rootstock short, stout. Leaves numerous, all radical, spreading, rosulate, very variable in size and shape, 1–5 in. long, obovate-spathulate to oblong-spathulate or lanceolate-spathulate, obtuse or subacute, narrowed into rather long broad petioles, rather thick and fleshy, entire or more usually irregularly sinuate-toothed, sometimes almost pinnatifid, sparingly pilose or almost glabrate; petioles villous at the base. Scapes usually numerous, longer than the leaves, slender, villous or pilose; spike oblong, obtuse, densely many-flowered, ¼–1 in. long. Bracts and calyx-segments broadly ovate, acute, with a thick fleshy centre, pilose and ciliate. Corollalobes ovate, acute. Capsule not much longer than the calyx, broadly oblong, apiculate. Seeds 3 or 4.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 227.
North Island: East Cape district, Bishop Williams, Adams and Petrie! Hawke's Bay and coast between Castlepoint and Cape Palliser, Colenso! South Island: Not uncommon throughout. Sea-level to 3500 ft.
Easily distinguished from P. Raoulii by the shorter and broader more rosulate leaves, shorter scapes, pilose and ciliate bracts and calyx-segments, and shorter and broader capsule.
4. P. Brownii, Rapin in Mem. Soc. Linn. Par. vi. (1827) 485.—Small, tufted, rather fleshy. Rhizome short, stout, woolly amongst the leaves or quite glabrous. Leaves very numerous, all radical, spreading, rosulate, ½–2 in. long, oblong-lanceolate or spathulate, acute or obtuse, narrowed into a broad petiole, more or less sinuate-toothed or entire, rather thick and fleshy, glabrous or pilose with scattered jointed hairs. Scapes many, variable in length, equalling the leaves or much longer than them, pilose or glabrous. Flowers small, usually from 2 to 5, but in depauperated specimens the spike is often reduced to a single flower, and in large specimens the flowers may be as many as 6–8. Bracts and ​calyx-segments broadly ovate, concave, obtuse or subacute, glabrous or sparingly pilose, keel thick, fleshy, margins scarious. Corolla-tube equalling the calyx, lobes ovate, acute, spreading or deflexed. Capsule small, ovoid, exceeding the calyx, 2-celled. Seeds usually 4 in each cell.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 227; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 141. P. carnosa, R. Br. Prodr. 425 (not of Lam.); Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 65, t. 43; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 207. P. picta, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 481.
North Island: Mount Hikurangi, Petrie! Ruahine Range, Colenso, Petrie! Mount Egmont, Buchanan! T.F.C.; Tararua Range, Buchanan! South Island, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: Not uncommon in mountain districts. Sea-level to 5500 ft. Also in Victoria and Tasmania.
The Auckland Island plant is almost glabrous, and has much more fleshy and more deeply toothed leaves, and the spikes are usually larger. It may be distinct from the North and South Island mountain-plant, but both forms require a careful study in the field. Mr. Colenso's P. picta, founded on a single specimen collected by Mr. H. Hill on a small island near to Gable-end Foreland (East Cape district), appears to be referable to P. Brownii, but the specimen is very imperfect.
5. P. lanigera, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 227.—A small depressed species. Rootstock short, stout. Leaves numerous, all radical, spreading, forming flat rosettes 1–2 in. across, ⅓–1 in. long, oblong-spathulate, obtuse or subacute, narrowed into a broad flat petiole, entire or obscurely sinuate-dentate, rather thick and fleshy, upper surface densely woolly with dirty white tortuous jointed hairs, under-surface woolly or almost glabrous. Scapes numerous, erect or inclined, at first much shorter than the leaves, but elongating as the fruit ripens, stout, densely tomentose. Spike short, 1–5-flowered; flowers small, crowded. Bracts and calyx-segments broadly ovate, subacute, glabrous, keel dark, thick and fleshy. Corolla-tube equalling the calyx; lobes ovate-lanceolate, acute. Capsule exceeding the calyx, broadly oblong, obtuse, 2-celled. Seeds 6 or 7 in each cell.
Var. Petriei.—Larger; leaves often 2 in. long, thinner, upper surface sparingly pilose with jointed hairs, glabrous or nearly so beneath, margins ciliate. Scapes longer, usually exceeding the leaves. Perhaps a distinct species.
South Island: Nelson—Mountains above the Clarence Valley, T.F.C. Canterbury—Armstrong. Otago—Lake district, Hector and Buchanan! Old Man Range, Hector Mountains, Mount Pisa, Mount Cardrona, Petrie! 4000–6000 ft. Var. Petriei: Mount Kyeburn, alt. 3500 ft., Petrie!
The ordinary state of the species is easily recognised by the copious matted jointed hairs on the leaves, short densely tomentose scapes, and oblong obtuse many-seeded capsule.
6. P. triandra, Berggr. in Minneskr. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 16, t. 4, f. 12–33.—Rootstock short, stout, crown densely clothed with long red-brown silky wool, rarely almost glabrous. Leaves nu​merous, all radical, spreading, forming flat rosettes 1–3 in. across, ⅓–2 in. long, linear or lanceolate, acute, narrowed into broad flat petioles, entire or more usually sinuate-dentate or pinnatifid, rather thick or almost membranous, more or less pubescent with jointed hairs on the upper surface, the hairs sometimes arranged in transverse bands across the leaf, under-surface usually glabrous. Scapes very short in the flowering stage, concealed amongst the wool at the base of the leaves, often but not always elongating in fruit and attaining half the length of the leaves or even more, 1- or very rarely 2-flowered. Bract minute, ovate, obtuse. Calyx-segments 3 or 4, ovate, obtuse, very small, many times less than the ovary. Corolla-tube elongated, twice the length of the ovary, limb with 3 or 4 linear-oblong acute lobes. Stamens usually 3, sometimes 4. Capsule oblong, obtuse. Seeds numerous, angled, 20–30. —P. Hamiltoni, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xi. (1879) 465.
South Island, Stewart Island: Margins of lakes and wet ground from Westport and Malborough southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3500 ft.
A very curious little plant. It varies considerably in the amount of the silky wool at the base of the leaves and in the hairiness of the leaves themselves, lowland specimens being often nearly glabrous. The length of the fruiting-scape is a very uncertain character; on the same plant it may either elongate or remain unaltered.
7. P. uniflora, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 207.—"Stems short, stout, ¼ in. high, tufted (?), villous at the crown. Leaves few, ½–1½ in. long, narrow-lanceolate, sinuate-toothed or quite entire, glabrous, villous at the base; nerve 1, obscure. Scape slender, as long as the leaves, 1-flowered, hairy. Sepals linear-oblong, acute, longer than the lower half of the capsule."—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 227.
North Island: Top of the Ruahine Range, Colenso. "Very near to P. Brownii, of which it may be a variety, but the leaves are narrower, scapes more slender, flowers solitary, and sepals narrower and more acute. My specimens are indifferent and past flower."
I have quoted Hooker's description and remarks, the plant not having been observed since its first discovery. It is probably nearer to P. triandra than to P. Brownii, but the calyx-segments are apparently different.