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California plantain, dotseed plantain, erect dwarf plantain

Chilean plantain

Habit Annuals; roots taproots, slender. Annuals; roots taproots, slender.
Stems

0–10 mm.

0–10 mm.

Leaves

50–120 × 1–4 mm;

blade linear, margins entire or toothed, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous or lanate, rarely glabrate.

20–50 × 2–15 mm;

blade narrowly obovate or narrowly elliptic, margins toothed, veins conspicuous, surfaces densely pilose or glabrate.

Scapes

200–1500 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, long and short.

10–50 mm, hairy, hairs appressed or nearly patent.

Spikes

greenish or brownish, 70–150 mm, densely flowered, flowers in whorls or pairs;

bracts ovate, 1–2 mm, length 0.3–0.8 times sepals.

greenish or brownish, 40–60 mm, densely flowered;

bracts triangular, 2–3.1 mm, length 0.7–1.1 times sepals.

Flowers

sepals 2.5–3.4 mm;

corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 2–2.7 mm, base obtuse or slightly cordate;

stamens 4, connective elongated, apex acute.

sepals 1.8–2.8 mm;

corolla radially symmetric, lobes patent or erect, forming a beak, 1.7–3.1 mm, base obtuse;

stamens 4.

Seeds

2, 2.1–2.9 mm.

2, 1.5–2.2 mm, adaxial face flat.

2n

= 20.

= 24.

Plantago erecta

Plantago firma

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering fall.
Habitat Dunes, grassy hills and flats, clearings in woods. Sandy soils.
Elevation -50–1400 m. (-200–4600 ft.) 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; South America (Chile) [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plantago firma has been known in California, especially in Marin County, since at least 1896, but the most recent collection known was made in 1957.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 286. FNA vol. 17, p. 286.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Plantago Plantaginaceae > Plantago
Sibling taxa
P. afra, P. argyrea, P. aristata, P. australis, P. canescens, P. cordata, P. coronopus, P. elongata, P. eriopoda, P. firma, P. floccosa, P. helleri, P. heterophylla, P. hookeriana, P. indica, P. lanceolata, P. macrocarpa, P. major, P. maritima, P. media, P. ovata, P. patagonica, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, P. sempervirens, P. sparsiflora, P. subnuda, P. tweedyi, P. virginica, P. wrightiana
P. afra, P. argyrea, P. aristata, P. australis, P. canescens, P. cordata, P. coronopus, P. elongata, P. erecta, P. eriopoda, P. floccosa, P. helleri, P. heterophylla, P. hookeriana, P. indica, P. lanceolata, P. macrocarpa, P. major, P. maritima, P. media, P. ovata, P. patagonica, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, P. sempervirens, P. sparsiflora, P. subnuda, P. tweedyi, P. virginica, P. wrightiana
Synonyms P. patagonica var. californica, P. erecta subsp. rigidior, P. hookeriana var. californica P. truncata subsp. firma
Name authority E. Morris: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 27: 118. (1900) Kunze ex Walpers: Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur. 19, suppl. 1: 402. (1843)
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