The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Chilean plantain

hoary plantain, plantain moyen

Habit Annuals; roots taproots, slender. Perennials; caudex glabrous or hairy; roots taproots, thick.
Stems

0–10 mm.

0–20 mm.

Leaves

20–50 × 2–15 mm;

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

prostrate, sometimes ascending, 40–200 × 30–70 mm;

blade elliptic to ovate, margins entire or toothed, veins conspicuous, surfaces hairy, hairs 0.5 mm.

Scapes

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

80–300 mm, not groove-angled, hirsute.

Spikes

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

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

grayish or whitish, 100–400 mm, densely flowered, shiny;

corolla lobes of neighboring flowers overlapping;

bracts ovate, 1.8–2 mm, length 0.9–1 times sepals.

Flowers

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.

sepals 2 mm, adaxial 2 nearly distinct;

corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 1.5 mm, base obtuse;

stamens 4.

Seeds

2, 1.5–2.2 mm, adaxial face flat.

2–4, 2 mm.

2n

= 24.

= 12, 24.

Plantago firma

Plantago media

Phenology Flowering fall. Flowering summer.
Habitat Sandy soils. Disturbed areas, neutral and basic soils.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; South America (Chile) [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; IL; MA; ME; MI; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; WI; MB; NB; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[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.)

Three varieties of Plantago media have been recognized in western Europe. It is not clear how names of those varieties apply to P. media in eastern Europe and North America.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 286. FNA vol. 17, p. 290.
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. 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
P. afra, P. argyrea, P. aristata, P. australis, P. canescens, P. cordata, P. coronopus, P. elongata, P. erecta, P. eriopoda, P. firma, P. floccosa, P. helleri, P. heterophylla, P. hookeriana, P. indica, P. lanceolata, P. macrocarpa, P. major, P. maritima, P. ovata, P. patagonica, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, P. sempervirens, P. sparsiflora, P. subnuda, P. tweedyi, P. virginica, P. wrightiana
Synonyms P. truncata subsp. firma
Name authority Kunze ex Walpers: Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur. 19, suppl. 1: 402. (1843) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 113. (1753)
Web links