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Heller's plantain

Indian wheat, Patagonia plantain, Pursh's plantain, woolly plantain

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

0–12 mm.

0–15 mm.

Leaves

50–130 × 3–7 mm;

blade linear, margins entire, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces villous, adaxial rarely glabrous.

(25–)50–120 × 1–4 mm;

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

Scapes

80–250 mm, hairy, hairs patent, long and antrorse, short.

(10–)40–240(–260) mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, long and short and patent, long.

Spikes

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, 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.

Flowers

sepals 3.5–4 mm;

corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 3–3.6 mm, base slightly cordate;

stamens 4, connective elongated, apex acute.

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.

Seeds

2, 3.2–3.8 mm.

2, 2.2–2.6 mm.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Plantago helleri

Plantago patagonica

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering early summer.
Habitat Dry slopes and flats on limestone. Dry sandy soils, grasslands, openings, disturbed areas.
Elevation 100–1700 m. (300–5600 ft.) 0–3600 m. (0–11800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NM; TX
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; AZ; CA; CO; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK; South America; Mexico (Baja California)
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 287. 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. firma, P. floccosa, 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. media, P. ovata, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, P. sempervirens, P. sparsiflora, P. subnuda, P. tweedyi, P. virginica, P. wrightiana
Synonyms P. patagonica var. breviscapa, P. patagonica var. gnaphalioides, P. patagonica var. spinulosa, P. purshii var. oblonga, P. spinulosa
Name authority Small: Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 288. (1899) Jacquin: Icon. Pl. Rar. 2: 9, plate 306. (1795)
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