Plantago indica |
Plantago media |
|
---|---|---|
plantain des sables, sand plantain |
hoary plantain, plantain moyen |
|
Habit | Annuals; roots taproots, slender. | Perennials; caudex glabrous or hairy; roots taproots, thick. |
Stems | 100–350 mm, freely branched. |
0–20 mm. |
Leaves | cauline, opposite, 60–80 × 1–3 mm; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, margins entire or toothed, veins conspicuous or not, surfaces hairy. |
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 | 100–650 mm, hairy. |
80–300 mm, not groove-angled, hirsute. |
Spikes | greenish or brownish, (50–)150–250 mm, densely flowered, eglandular; bracts proximal strongly differing from distal, ovate, 2–5(–7) mm, length 1–1.5 times sepals, proximal bracts: apex acute. |
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 2–3 mm; corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 2–4 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, 2–2.5 mm. |
2–4, 2 mm. |
2n | = 12. |
= 12, 24. |
Plantago indica |
Plantago media |
|
Phenology | Flowering late summer–fall. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Roadsides, railroads, sandy shorelines. | Disturbed areas, neutral and basic soils. |
Elevation | 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) | 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; CT; DE; IA; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; VA; VT; WA; WI; BC; MB; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
CT; IL; MA; ME; MI; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; WI; MB; NB; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | While considering the proposal made by W. L. Applequist (2006) to reject Plantago psyllium, the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants also decided that P. indica is a legitimate name (R. K. Brummitt 2009). A. B. Doweld and A. Shipunov (2017) published a proposal to reject P. indica in favor of P. arenaria. That proposal awaits a decision by that committee. (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. 288. | FNA vol. 17, p. 290. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Plantago | Plantaginaceae > Plantago |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. arenaria, P. psyllium | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 2: 896. 1759, legitimacy of — name in question | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 113. (1753) |
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