Plantago australis
Plantago ovata
Mexican plantain
blond plantain, desert Indian-wheat, desert plantain
0–10 mm.
0–30 mm, often branched.
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.
10–230 × 0.5–12 mm;
blade linear or narrowly elliptic, margins toothed, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous or lanate to sericeous.
30–560 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, short.
10–400 mm, hairy, hairs woolly, long.
greenish or brownish, 100–1000 mm, densely flowered;
bracts narrowly triangular, 1.6–4.2 mm, length 0.8–1.5 times sepals.
grayish or brownish, 20–400 mm, densely flowered, flowers in spirals;
bracts ovate or elliptic, 1.7–4 mm, length 0.8–1.2 times sepals, apex not reached by green nerve.
sepals 2–2.5 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes erect, forming a beak, 2–2.8 mm, base obtuse;
stamens 4.
sepals 1.9–3.5 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 1.3–2.8 mm, base cuneate;
stamens 4.
3, 1.2–2.2 mm.
2, 2–2.6 mm.
= 24.
= 8.
Plantago australis
Plantago ovata
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.)
From molecular evidence, S. C. Meyers and A. Liston (2008) suggested that Plantago ovata was introduced to North America during the Pleistocene. They recognized four varieties; North American specimens can be treated as two varieties based on bract and corolla color: the inland var. fastigiata (E. Morris) S. C. Meyers & Liston (midribs of mature flower bracts green, corolla lobes without reddish brown midribs) and the coastal var. insularis (Eastwood) S. C. Meyers & Liston (midribs of mature flower bracts brown, corolla lobe midribs prominent, reddish brown). Unfortunately, these features are not easily seen on many herbarium specimens, and these taxa are not recognized here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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