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evergreen plantain

Chilean plantain

Habit Perennials, sometimes woody; roots taproots, slender. Annuals; roots taproots, slender.
Stems

100–400 mm, freely branched.

0–10 mm.

Leaves

cauline, opposite, 30–60 × 0.75–1 mm;

blade linear to linear-lanceolate, margins entire, veins inconspicuous, surfaces hairy.

20–50 × 2–15 mm;

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

Scapes

30–80 mm, hairy.

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

Spikes

greenish or brownish, 40–85 mm, densely flowered;

bracts broadly ovate, 5–6 mm, lengths equal to sepals.

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

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

Flowers

sepals 5–6 mm;

corolla radially symmetric, lobes reflexed, 3–3.5 mm, base obtuse;

stamens 4.

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.

Seeds

1 or 2, 2 mm.

2, 1.5–2.2 mm, adaxial face flat.

2n

= 12.

= 24.

Plantago sempervirens

Plantago firma

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering fall.
Habitat Disturbed habitats. Sandy soils.
Elevation 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; s Europe [Introduced in North America]
from FNA
CA; South America (Chile) [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plantago sempervirens is known from San Diego County; one specimen (JEPS) was collected in 2008 in Torrey Pines State Reserve.

Plantago cynops Linnaeus (1762, not 1753), a rejected name, has been misapplied to P. sempervirens.

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

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 292. FNA vol. 17, p. 286.
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. patagonica, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, 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. 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
Synonyms P. truncata subsp. firma
Name authority Crantz: Inst. Rei Herb. 2: 331. (1766) Kunze ex Walpers: Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur. 19, suppl. 1: 402. (1843)
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