Contains 10 accepted taxa overall.

Characteristics
Plantago L.
PLANTAIN
Classification
LAMIALES
Plantago
Citation
PLANTAGO Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 112. 1753.
-
TYPE: Plantago major Linnaeus Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 3: 245. 1913.
Distribution Map Present

This species have been reported in the counties highlighted.

Species
Scientific Name Common Name Herbarium Specimens Status Photos
Plantago aristata LARGEBRACTED PLANTAIN; BUCKHORN PLANTAIN Native
Plantago floccosa Not Native
Plantago heterophylla SLENDER PLANTAIN; MANYSEED PLANTAIN Native FACW (NWPL)
Plantago lanceolata ENGLISH PLANTAIN; NARROWLEAF PLANTAIN Not Native FACU (NWPL)
Plantago major COMMON PLANTAIN Not Native FAC (NWPL)
Plantago pusilla DWARF PLANTAIN Native FACW (NWPL)
Plantago rugelii BLACKSEED PLANTAIN Native Rare-State FACU (NWPL)
Plantago sparsiflora PINELAND PLANTAIN Native FACW (NWPL)
Plantago virginica VIRGINIA PLANTAIN; SOUTHERN PLANTAIN Native FACU (NWPL)
Plantago wrightiana WRIGHT'S PLANTAIN Native
Identification Key
1.  Leaves with the blade generally ovate and the base abruptly contracted to a mostly distinct petiole
2
1.  Leaves withe the blade linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, to narrowly obovate, and the blade base attenuate and indistinct from the petiole
3
2.  Floral bracts ovate, 0.5-1 mm long; fruit (2)4-5 mm long, dehiscing near the middle; seeds 5-35 per fruit, 0.5-1 mm long
2.  Floral bracts lanceolate, ca. 2 mm long; fruit 4-6(8) mm long, dehiscing below the middle; seeds 4-5(8) per fruit, 1.5-2 mm long
3.  Plant strongly woolly or lanate
3.  Plant villous, short-pilose, to glabrate
4
4.  Floral bracts conspicuously exserted and much longer than the flowers or fruits
4.  Floral bracts subequal to shorter than the flowers or fruits, not exserted
5
5.  Fertile part of scape <1/5 of its total length; floral bracts scarious except near the midrib; sepals appearing as 3, the 2 next to bract united into 1 with a double midvein
5.  Fertile part of scape >1/5 of its total length; floral bracts scarious only on the margin near the base; sepals 4, free or nearly so
6
6.  Leaves mostly >8 mm wide, 3-15 times longer than wide
7
6.  Leaves mostly <8(10) mm wide, 15-50 times longer than wide
7.  Spikes with visible internodes throughout, the flowers sparsely distributed; rachis, bracts, and sepals glabrous to sparsely short-pilose
7.  Spikes lacking visible internodes, internodes apparent only at the very base, the flowers densely congested; rachis, bracts, and sepals densely short-pilose
8.  Leaves 3-5 mm wide; spike with the flowers densely congested throughout; sepals 3-4 mm long; stamens 4 per flower; seeds 2 per fruit
8.  Leaves 1-3(4) mm wide; spike with the flowers sparsely distributed at the base; sepals 1-2 mm long; stamens 2 per flower; seeds 4 or 10-25(30) per fruit
9
9.  Leaves 1-3(4) mm wide; seeds 10-25(30) per fruit
9.  Leaves 1-2 mm wide; seeds 4 per fruit
Genus Synonyms
Synonym Full Citation Basionym Type
Arnoglossum Arnoglossum Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 292. 1821, non Rafinesque 1817. TYPE: Non designatus.
Asterogeum Asterogeum Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2; 294. 1821. TYPE: Asterogeum laciniatum Gray, nom. illegit. (Plantago coronopus Linnaeus)
Coronopus Coronopus Miller, Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4. 1754. TYPE: Non designatus.
Lagopus Lagopus (Grenier & Godron) Fourreau, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, ser. 2. 17: 140. 1869, non Hill 1756, nec Bernhardi 1800. BASIONYM: Plantago Linnaeus, sect. Lagopus Grenier & Godron, Fl. France 2: 726. 1852. TYPE: Lagopus arvensis Fourreau (Plantago lagopus Linnaeus)
Psyllium Psyllium Miller, Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4. 1754. TYPE: Non designatus.