Plantaginaceae: Plantain Family — Plantain
Cut-leaved Plantain – Plantago coronopus
Blooms:
Apr–July
Plant Height:
5–50 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Europe
Habitat:
Open and disturbed areas
Notes:
This common plantain has distinctive slender, pinnately-lobed, lanceolate leaves in a basal rosette. The flowers are in spikes at the end of long, curved peduncles, forming a crown shape — hence the species’ scientific name. Before the bloom matures, the flower spikes are nodding.
California Plantain – Plantago erecta
Blooms:
Apr–Aug
Plant Height:
3–30 cm
Flower Size:
Very small
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Grassy slopes, flats and open woodland
Notes:
This is a small, inconspicuous plantain with erect, narrow leaves. Its white flowers have 4 spreading petals, a deep red center, fine silky hairs and less obvious stamens and pistils. Although unimpressive to the naked eye, the tiny flowers are beautiful through a hand lens.
English Plantain – Plantago lanceolata
Blooms:
Apr–Aug
Plant Height:
20–80 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Europe
Invasive?
Yes – limited
Habitat:
Grassland
Notes:
This is a common invasive species, with distinctive basal leaves. They are erect to spreading, and elliptic to lanceolate. The inflorescence is a tight, cone-shaped spike, with flowers that mature from the bottom upwards, each with a pointed bract. Most noticeable are the prominently exserted stamens, with creamy-white anthers. Photo #2 by CJH.
Common Plantain – Plantago major
Blooms:
Apr–Sept
Plant Height:
5–60 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Europe
Habitat:
Damp waste places
Notes:
This is another common species, recognized by its broad, widely elliptical, more or less prostrate leaves. The leaves narrow abruptly to the petiole (unlike the leaves of the similar Mexican Plantain (Plantago subnuda, see below), which narrow gradually towards the petiole). The flowers are in spikes, that are less crowded towards the bottom. There are comparatively few flowering stems. Another difference from Mexican Plantain is that the leaves are glabrous, while those of Mexican Plantain can be sparsely hairy.
Pacific Seaside Plantain – Plantago maritima
Blooms:
May–Sept
Plant Height:
< 10 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Coastal bluffs and wet, saline places
Notes:
This Plantain has distinctive fleshy leaves, linear to narrowly oblanceolate and green to reddish in color. The flower spikes are short (less than 10 cm) and few in number.
Mexican Plantain – Plantago subnuda
Blooms:
May–Sept
Plant Height:
< 50 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Moist banks
Notes:
This is similar to Common Plantain (Plantago major, see above). It has similar elliptic to oblanceolate leaves, sometimes much longer (up to 40 cm as against 18 cm long) and sometimes sparsely hairy and with a reddish tinge. The most obvious difference is that the leaves narrow gradually towards the broad petiole (unlike the leaves of Common Plantain, which narrow abruptly to the petiole). The unisexual flowers are in spikes, that can be as tall as 50 cm when the peduncle is included.
