Plantago australis
Plantago argyrea
Mexican plantain
saltmeadow plantain
0–10 mm.
0–20 mm.
40–350 × 6–77 mm;
blade elliptic to narrowly elliptic, margins entire, veins conspicuous, surfaces pilose, rarely glabrate, adaxial surface hairs not floccose, less than 2 mm long, more than 0.03 mm wide.
45–140 × 1.5–4 mm;
blade linear, margins entire, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces sericeous, rarely lanate.
30–560 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, short.
300–1300 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, long and short.
greenish or brownish, 100–1000 mm, densely flowered;
bracts narrowly triangular, 1.6–4.2 mm, length 0.8–1.5 times sepals.
greenish or brownish, 70–200 mm, densely or loosely flowered, flowers in whorls or pairs;
bracts ovate, 1.5–2 mm, length 0.4–0.7 times sepals, apex acute.
sepals 2–2.5 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes erect, forming a beak, 2–2.8 mm, base obtuse;
stamens 4.
sepals 2.6–3.3 mm;
corolla bilaterally symmetric, lobes reflexed, 1.7–2.6 mm, base cordate;
stamens 4, connective slightly elongated, apex obtuse.
3, 1.2–2.2 mm.
2, 2.3–2.8 mm.
= 24.
Plantago australis
Plantago argyrea
Plantago australis occurs in Cochise, Coconino, and Pima counties. Plantago australis is most diverse in South America, where as many as 16 subspecies (K. Rahn 1974) may be recognized. Plants from California identified as P. hirtella are most likely P. subnuda. However, since the most important distinguishing character of P. australis is the absence of the developed taproot (which is fragile and often broken in herbarium specimens), all these samples require careful examination. Further research is needed also to clarify the circumscriptions of P. australis and P. subnuda.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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