PLANTAGINACEAE

PLANTAIN FAMILY

Lauramay T. Dempster

Annual, perennial herb, generally scapose
Leaves generally basal, simple, with longitudinal ribs; stipules 0
Inflorescence: spike, generally terminal, generally dense; flowers few–many, each subtended by 1 bract
Flower unisexual or bisexual, generally radial; calyx deeply 4-lobed, lobes generally overlapping, persistent, margin mostly scarious; corolla salverform or cylindric, lobes 4, spreading to erect, scarious, persistent, colorless; stamens 2–4, alternate corolla lobes, epipetalous; ovary superior, 2–4-chambered, ovules several per chamber, style 1, stigma long, hairy
Genera in family: 3 genera, ± 270 species: worldwide, especially temp; some weedy, some (especially P. afra , psyllium) cultivated for laxative
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Callitrichaceae, and most non-parasitic CA genera of Scrophulariaceae (but not Mimulus, Scrophularia, Verbascum); = Veronicaceae sensu Olmstead et al. [Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:531–553; Olmstead et al. 2001 Mol Phylog Evol 16:96–112]

PLANTAGO

PLANTAIN

Annual, perennial herb
Stem decumbent to erect
Flower generally bisexual; corolla radial, sometimes bilateral
Fruit: capsule, circumscissile ± at or below middle
Seeds 2–many, gelatinous when wet
Species in genus: ± 250 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: sole of foot)

Introduced

P. aristata Michx.

Annual, glabrous to ± hairy
Leaf 5–15 cm, linear; margin entire
Inflorescences generally 1–6, 9–35 cm including peduncle; spike 1–13 cm, dense; bract 3–12 X sepals, linear, ascending, clearly > flowers
Flower: corolla lobes 1.5–2.3 mm, round-ovate, 3 generally spreading, 1 erect, tips obtuse; stamens 4
Seeds 2, 2–2.5 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=20
Ecology: Waste places
Elevation: < 200 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Great Central Valley, South Coast, expected elsewhere
Distribution outside California: native to e US