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Wright's plantain

Heller's plantain

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

10–40 mm.

0–12 mm.

Leaves

60–160 × 3–5 mm;

blade linear, margins entire, veins conspicuous or not, abaxial surface villous, adaxial glabrous, rarely sparsely villous.

50–130 × 3–7 mm;

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

Scapes

800–1600 mm, hairy, hairs antrorse, long and short.

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

Spikes

greenish or brownish, (20–)150–250 mm, densely flowered, flowers in whorls or pairs;

bracts ovate or triangular, 1–3.5 mm, length 0.4–0.8 times sepals.

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 3–4 mm;

corolla bilaterally symmetric, lobes reflexed, adaxials 2.4–3 mm, laterals asymmetric, base cordate;

stamens 4, connective 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, 2.8–3.2 mm.

2, 3.2–3.8 mm.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Plantago wrightiana

Plantago helleri

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Sandy and gravelly soils, roadsides. Dry slopes and flats on limestone.
Elevation 0–1000(–1300) m. (0–3300(–4300) ft.) 100–1700 m. (300–5600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; FL; GA; KS; KY; LA; MD; MS; NC; NM; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 293. 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. patagonica, P. pusilla, P. rhodosperma, P. rugelii, P. sempervirens, P. sparsiflora, P. subnuda, P. tweedyi, P. virginica
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
Name authority Decaisne: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 13(1): 712. (1852) Small: Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 288. (1899)
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