Plantago major L.
broad-leaved plantain
Hairy or occasionally glabrous short-lived perennial herb with stout caudex and many large adventitious roots, occasionally with persistent, well-developed primary roots. Lvs all radical, rosulate; petiole 1-20-(30) cm long, broadened at base, channelled. Lamina to 21 × 16 cm, ovate to suborbicular (somewhat narrower in small-leaved plants), generally puberulent, at least on the main veins beneath, sometimes glabrate or glabrous, entire or remotely dentate; main veins 5-7; base truncate to cordate in more typical large-leaved plants but often cuneate to attenuate in smaller, and especially narrower-leaved forms; apex rounded to obtuse. Scapes c. 5-80 cm long, not ribbed, generally hairy, at least towards base, sometimes glabrous or nearly so. Spikes dense, 1.5- c. 30 cm long, narrow-cylindric. Bracts ovate, > calyx, herbaceous and keeled, glabrous, sometimes with membranous margin. Sepals 1.5-2.1 mm long, broad-ovate; keel green and herbaceous, otherwise sepal scarious. Corolla tube = or slightly < calyx; lobes 1-1.3 mm long, ovate to elliptic-ovate, reflexing. Stamens glabrous, long-exserted. Style long-exserted, puberulent. Capsule usually 2.5-4 mm long, broad-ellipsoid, 6-16-seeded. Seeds 1-1.8 mm long, slightly trigonous but also rather irregular, rugose, dark red, brown, dark brown or black.
N.; S.; St.: very common throughout; K., Ch.
Eurasia 1832
Especially rather moist open places such as river beds, seepage areas on hillsides, drains, and anywhere subject to water runoff from buildings, also drier areas, particularly open modified situations such as roadsides, waste places and coastal sands.
FL Jul-Apr.
Most N.Z. plants belong to subsp. major in which there is an enormous variation in lf and infl. size. Occasional specimens with freak infls occur; these have a rosette of leaflike bracts instead of the normal spike.
