Plantago helleri
Plantago ovata
Heller's plantain
blond plantain, desert Indian-wheat, desert plantain
0–12 mm.
0–30 mm, often branched.
50–130 × 3–7 mm;
blade linear, margins entire, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous, adaxial rarely glabrous.
10–230 × 0.5–12 mm;
blade linear or narrowly elliptic, margins toothed, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous or lanate to sericeous.
80–250 mm, hairy, hairs patent, long and antrorse, short.
10–400 mm, hairy, hairs woolly, long.
greenish, whitish, or brownish, 50–120 mm, densely flowered, flowers in whorls or pairs;
bracts triangular, 2.5–8 mm, length 0.6–2.2 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 3.5–4 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 3–3.6 mm, base slightly cordate;
stamens 4, connective elongated, apex acute.
sepals 1.9–3.5 mm;
corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 1.3–2.8 mm, base cuneate;
stamens 4.
2, 3.2–3.8 mm.
2, 2–2.6 mm.
= 20.
= 8.
Plantago helleri
Plantago ovata
Populations of Plantago helleri are concentrated in central Texas, especially in the Edwards Plateau and Trans-Pecos. The species also occurs in Eddy and Lincoln counties, New Mexico.
(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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