Plantaginaceae

P. atrata Hoppe, Bot. Taschenb. 85 (1799). Syn: P. montana sensu Lam., I11. Gen. 341 (1791) non Hudson (1762); P. saxatilis Bieb., Fl. Taur.-Cauc. 1:109 (1808); P. fuscescens Jordan, Obs. Pl. Nouv. 3:231, t. 10a f. 1-12 (1846); P. spadicea Wallr. ex Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 3:484 (1846-51) nom. nud.;P. montana Hudson subsp. spadicea (Wallr. ex Ledeb.) Pilger in Feddes Rep. 23: 263 (1926); P. saxatilis Bieb. var. adnivalis Náb. in Publ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Masaryk Brno 105:5 (1929); P. atrata Hoppe subsp. saxatilis (Bieb.) Pilger in
Engler, Pflanzenreich 102 (IV.269):300 et subsp. spadicea (Wallr. ex Ledeb.) Pilger, op. cit. 309 (1937). Ic: Bonnier, F1. Compl. Fr., Suisse et Belg. 9: t. 500 f. 2297 (1927); Engler, Pflanzenreich 102(IV.269): t. 30(1937).
Perennial, 3-30 cm. Leaves in basal rosette, 40-210 x 2-7 mm, linear-lanceo-late, entire or sparsely dentate, flat or slightly canaliculate, 3-5-veined, gla-brous or pubescent-pilose. Scapes 4.5-14.5 cm, terete, erect or ascending, hairy. Spikes (0.6-) 1-2.5 cm, dense, globose or ovoid, rarely narrowly cylin-drical. Bracts 4-4.5 x 5-6 mm, orbicular to suborbicular, long-ciliate with gla-brous or sparsely hairy keel, keel and upper part often brown. Sepals 3 mm, subequal, thin, broadly ovate, upper part of posterior sepals long-ciliate. Cor-olla lobes white with brown centre, 2-2.5 mm, membranous. Capsule ovoid. Ovules 2. Fl. 6-8. Alpine stony slopes nr melting snow, steppe, banks, pastures, 2100-3500 m.
Described from Germany.
N., C. & S.E. Anatolia. A2(A) Bursa: Ulu Da., Karçukuru, Başarman (ISTF 5801)! A5 Amasya: Ak Da., Bornm. 1889:809! A8 Trabzon: Haldizan, Ha-rami Da., 3350 m, Balls 1886! A9 Kars: Kisir Da., S.W. slopes, 2800 m, D. 30575! B3 Eskişehir: Kara Kütük, 1700 m, Ekim 721! B5 Niğde: Aksaray, Hasan Da., Kara Tepe, 2350 m, 11 vii 1973, Düzenli! B6 Maraş: d. Çardak, Berit Da. above Arpa Çukuru Y., 2800 m, D. 20317! B7 Tunceli: Munzur Da., above Ovacik, 2800 m, D. 31280! B8 Erzurum: Palandöken Da., Eğerli Da., N. slope, 2100-2200 m, Demiriz et al. (ATA 214)! B9 Bitlis: Nemrut Da., W. slope, 2900 m, Peşmen 2860! C5 Içel: Karaahmetli yolu, 670 m, Uslu 2381(0. C10 Hakkari: Sat Da., Varegöz to Sat G., 2900-3000 m, D. 45594!
Mountains of Europe and S.W. Asia. The species is polymorphic. Some vari-ants have been recognised as subsp. spadicea (Wallr. ex Ledeb.) Pilger and subsp. saxatilis (Bieb.) Pilger, but these intergrade morphologically.
Sect. Gentianoides Pilger. Bracts and sepals broad, keel not thickened, with inconspicuous veins. Ovules 3-4(-7). Alpine plants.