Plantago australis
Plantago patagonica
Mexican plantain
Indian wheat, Patagonia plantain, Pursh's plantain, woolly plantain
0–10 mm.
0–15 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.
(25–)50–120 × 1–4 mm;
blade linear, margins entire, rarely toothed, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous.
30–560 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, short.
(10–)40–240(–260) mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, long and short and patent, 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, 40–120 mm, densely flowered, flowers in whorls or pairs;
bracts triangular or narrowly ovate, 2–10 mm, length 1–2 times sepals, apex acute or acuminate.
sepals 2–2.5 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes erect, forming a beak, 2–2.8 mm, base obtuse;
stamens 4.
sepals 2.2–4.8 mm;
corolla bilaterally symmetric, lobes reflexed, 1.6–2.1 mm, base cordate;
stamens 4, connective usually elongated, apex acute.
3, 1.2–2.2 mm.
2, 2.2–2.6 mm.
= 24.
= 20.
Plantago australis
Plantago patagonica
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.)
The circumscription of Plantago patagonica is treated here in accordance with K. Rahn (1978). The phenotypic plasticity of it does not allow varieties or subspecies to be recognized. Plants recognized in other floras as P. purshii (for example, Flora of Indiana and Flora of New Mexico) are referable to either P. aristata or P. patagonica (Rahn).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
LA Plants, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
