Plantago aristata and unknown species - status of plants with fruits starting to develop Jim Keesling [jlkeesl@att.net] You replied on 5/17/2016 11:55 PM. Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 9:56 PM To: Shipunov, Alexey Cc: 'Theo Witsell' [theo@arkansasheritage.org] Alexey, I thought that you might be interested in a short update on the single-stemmed Plantago aristata-type plants. Some of these differences won’t be obvious in dried specimens. I’ve been chasing wildflowers all over Arkansas this season, and have seen large populations of the single-stemmed Plantago plants at all dry, rocky sites. There are at least 10 times as many of these plants, as there are of typical P. aristata at all locations. Although the single-stemmed plants are often short, they can also be taller than aristata. Another interesting thing is that aristata plants are a dark, dull, gray-green color and glaucous, with relatively large leaves. The single-stemmed plants are bright yellowish-green, not glaucous, and have more narrow leaves. I broke down many immature flowers this afternoon, to see what was happening within. The aristata plants had ovaries that were about 1.5 mm long by 1.0 mm wide. Styles were 2 mm long and densely covered with spreading hairs. Filaments were translucent, and 0.5 mm long. Fresh anthers (4 per flower) in unopened flowers were tan, and 0.4 mm long by 0.2 mm wide. None of the several plants checked had flowers with long filaments or large anthers. The single-stemmed plants had some flowers with only large anthers, some with only small anthers, and some flowers with a mix of small and large anthers (on the same spike). When fresh anthers were large, they were bright yellow, 1.7 mm long by 1.0 mm wide, with purple filaments to 3.0 mm long. The small anthers were tan, 0.5 mm long by 0.3 mm wide, with pale filaments about 1.5 mm long. These plants had ovaries about 1.1 mm long by 0.8 mm wide. Styles were 3 mm long, purple, and densely covered with spreading hairs. The two photos below show how much these two plants vary. There are just 3 of the typical arista specimens in the photos, and 10 of the single-stemmed plants. Once the seeds are mature, I’ll collect specimens and send them to your attention, as promised. Thanks, Jim Keesling === Alexey, Both plants had upper leaf surfaces that were mostly glabrous, but sometimes had scattered hairs. I also checked that feature last season, to see if there were any P. patagonica characteristics, and did not find any single-stemmed plants with silky pubescence on adaxial leaf surfaces. At that time, I was wondering whether these plants were patagonica hybrids. Jim -----Original Message----- From: Shipunov, Alexey [mailto:alexey.shipunov@minotstateu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 11:55 PM To: Jim Keesling Cc: 'Theo Witsell' Subject: RE: Plantago aristata and unknown species - status of plants with fruits starting to develop Jim, Thank you for the photos! This is interesting! Could you please tell if the upper surface (not margins) of leaves in both forms glabrous (sometimes with scattered haris) or hairy? Best, Alexey === Alexey, please refer to the plants on the labels as follows: • Sample 15-0001s – Plantago aristata leaves (control) • Sample 15-0002s – unknown, single-stemmed Plantago leaves If you prefer, you can set up reference numbers that are more appropriate for your system. Both leaf specimens were collected from the same location on May 20, 2016. The plants were growing in a dry, sunny shale barrens glade that had scattered, small gravel mixed in for area logging operations. They were growing with Minuartia patula, Krigia virginica, Lolium perenne var. aristatum, Triodanis leptocarpa, Trifolium arvense, Oenothera linifolia, Trifolium campestre, Plantago pusilla, and Lobelia appendiculata. The GPS coordinates were N34.72874, W92.96604. That location was in central Arkansas, about 2 miles NE of Hot Springs Village, 1.8 miles ENE of the Beaudry Cir and Angling Rd jct., then 40 yds E of Angling Rd on the N side of an old logging trail. There were more than a hundred examples of Plantago arista, plus thousands of the single-stemmed Plantago, in an area 40 yds long by 30 yds wide.