Contains 9 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
PLANTAGO Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 112. 1753.
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TYPE: Plantago major Linnaeus Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 3: 245. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plantago aristata | Buckhorn Plantain | |||
| Plantago heterophylla | Many-seeded Plantain, Small Plantain | |||
| Plantago lanceolata | English Plantain, Rib-grass | |||
| Plantago major | Common Plantain, Whiteman's-foot | |||
| Plantago patagonica | Woolly Plantain | |||
| Plantago rugelii | American Plantain, Broad-leaved Plantain, Blackseed Plantain, Rugel’s Plantain | |||
| Plantago sparsiflora | Pineland Plantain | |||
| Plantago virginica | Virginia Plantain, Hoary Plantain | |||
| Plantago wrightiana | Wright's Plantain |
Identification Key
1. Leaves with the blade generally ovate and the base abruptly contracted to a mostly distinct petiole
2
1. Leaves withe the blade linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, to narrowly obovate, and the blade base attenuate and indistinct from the petiole
3
2. Floral bracts ovate, 0.5-1 mm long; fruit (2)4-5 mm long, dehiscing near the middle; seeds 5-35 per fruit, 0.5-1 mm long
2. Floral bracts lanceolate, ca. 2 mm long; fruit 4-6(8) mm long, dehiscing below the middle; seeds 4-5(8) per fruit, 1.5-2 mm long
3. Plant strongly woolly or lanate
3. Plant villous, short-pilose, to glabrate
4
4. Floral bracts conspicuously exserted and much longer than the flowers or fruits
4. Floral bracts subequal to shorter than the flowers or fruits, not exserted
5
5. Fertile part of scape <1/5 of its total length; floral bracts scarious except near the midrib; sepals appearing as 3, the 2 next to bract united into 1 with a double midvein
5. Fertile part of scape >1/5 of its total length; floral bracts scarious only on the margin near the base; sepals 4, free or nearly so
6
6. Leaves mostly >8 mm wide, 3-15 times longer than wide
7
6. Leaves mostly <8(10) mm wide, 15-50 times longer than wide
7. Spikes with visible internodes throughout, the flowers sparsely distributed; rachis, bracts, and sepals glabrous to sparsely short-pilose
7. Spikes lacking visible internodes, internodes apparent only at the very base, the flowers densely congested; rachis, bracts, and sepals densely short-pilose
8. Leaves 3-5 mm wide; spike with the flowers densely congested throughout; sepals 3-4 mm long; stamens 4 per flower; seeds 2 per fruit
8. Leaves 1-3(4) mm wide; spike with the flowers sparsely distributed at the base; sepals 1-2 mm long; stamens 2 per flower; seeds 4 or 10-25(30) per fruit
9
9. Leaves 1-3(4) mm wide; seeds 10-25(30) per fruit
9. Leaves 1-2 mm wide; seeds 4 per fruit
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synonyms found. | |||