The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1942, Side 352

350
JOHS. GRONTVED
form is var. pygmaea Stefánsson, dwarfish, from 2—5 cm high, and with +
prostrate, ascending scapes. Grows especially on warm soil around hot springs.
Rather common in the lowland in all parts, except in E., where it has been
found in two places only, viz. at Kirkjuból in Norðfjörður (O. Grundtvig, 1936),
and at Seyðisfjörður (Symington, 1863).
Life-form: H.
Around farmsteads, in towns and villages, near hot springs.
Flor. VI—VII; fr. mat. VII—VIII.
Max. height: 30 cm; average: 7 cm.
Geogr. area: Am. : Throughout N. Am.—Greenl.: W. (introduced) Ivigtút.—Eur.:
Fær. ; E.S.I.; and throughout Europe.—Asia: Northem and central regions.
371. Plantago maritima Linn., Spec. pl. ed. I (1753) p. 114.
K. & M., 1770, p. 205.—Plantago alþina L., Babington, 1871, p. 323.—
Hooker, 1813, p. 316.—Gliemann, 1824, p. 138.—Pt. borealis Lge., Gron-
lund, Isl. Fl., 1881, p. 84.—P. maritima L., Stefánsson, Fl. ísl., ed. 1, 1901,
p. 174.—Ibid., ed. 2, 1924, p. 196,—O. & Gr., 1934, p. 129.
Flora Dan. tab. 2707 (P. borealis Lge).
Icelandic: Kattartunga, Fuglatungur. Danish: Strand-Vejbred. English: Sea
Plantain, Seaside Plantain.
Common in the lowland, especially in the coastal parts, but also frequently found
at a rather long distance from the sea: Hveravellir (J.Gr., 1934); Arnardalur,
Fagridalur, Hvannalindir north of Vatnajökull (S.S., 1933).
Most of the material of P. maritima (coll.) from Iceland no doubt belongs to
P. maritima s. str., but in addition a smaller number may probably be placed under
P. juncoides Lam. var. glauca (Hornem.) Fern. (Syn. P. maritima var. glauca
Hornem., Oecon. Plantel. ed. 3, I (1921) p. 167 = P. borealis Lange, Fl. Dan.
XVI, fasc. 5, tab. 2707 (1867)), cp. Fernald in Rhodora, Vol. 27, 1928, p. 93
et seq.—The Icelandic specimens, however, do not seem to me to be very typical,
but Fernald maintains that he has seen specimens of P. juncoides var. glauca from
Seyðisfjörður (coll. Elizabeth Taylor, 1895).
A description may be added, as follows:
Scapes low (1—7 cm high), shorter than to slightly exceeding the leaves. Spikes
0.5—2 cm long. Bracts subtending the middle and upper flowers in the spike broadly
ovate, subreniform or suborbicular, as broad as or broader than long. Anthers
1—1.5 mm long. Mature capsules ovoid to broadly conic, blunt or rounded at
summit, 1.2—2.6 mm in diameter. Cp. Fernald, loc. cit.
A dwarfish form, var. pygmaea Stcfánsson, 2—3 cm high, with nearly globular
spikes and short, slender leaves, occurs here and there on warm soil near hot
springs.
Life-form : H.
In salinc meadows, on dry and poor soil on the sea-shore.
Flor. VI—VII; fr. mat. VII—VIII.
Max. height: 32 cm ; avcrage: 13 cm.
Gcogr. area: (coll. species) Am.: (P. juncoides) Newfoundland and Labrador to
New Jersey; Alaska to California.—S. Am.: Patagonia.—Greenl.: (P. juncoides) W.
60°—71°7'. E. 60°40'—65°37'.—Eur. : Fær.; E.S.I.; Coasts of wcstcm Eur., also
frequently in inland localities.—Asia: Siberia and central Asia. Manchukuo, Sakhalin.
—N. Africa.