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

Heller's plantain

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

0–15 mm.

0–12 mm.

Leaves

(25–)50–120 × 1–4 mm;

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

50–130 × 3–7 mm;

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

Scapes

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

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

Spikes

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.

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.

Flowers

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.

sepals 3.5–4 mm;

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

stamens 4, connective elongated, apex acute.

Seeds

2, 2.2–2.6 mm.

2, 3.2–3.8 mm.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Plantago patagonica

Plantago helleri

Phenology Flowering early summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Dry sandy soils, grasslands, openings, disturbed areas. Dry slopes and flats on limestone.
Elevation 0–3600 m. (0–11800 ft.) 100–1700 m. (300–5600 ft.)
Distribution
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)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 290. FNA vol. 17, p. 287.
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. 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
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
Synonyms P. patagonica var. breviscapa, P. patagonica var. gnaphalioides, P. patagonica var. spinulosa, P. purshii var. oblonga, P. spinulosa
Name authority Jacquin: Icon. Pl. Rar. 2: 9, plate 306. (1795) Small: Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 288. (1899)
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