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Published In: Species Plantarum 1: 113. 1753. (1 May 1753) (Sp. Pl.) Name publication detailView in BotanicusView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 9/1/2017)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Native

 

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11. Plantago virginica L. (hoary plantain, pale-seeded plantain)

P. virginica var. viridescens Fernald

Pl. 488 a, b; Map 2230

Plants annual, with taproots. Aerial stems absent or very short. Leaves in a dense basal rosette, sometimes the larger leaves with a more or less well-differentiated petiole (1–6 cm long), usually pale at the base, spreading to ascending. Leaf blades 1–10(–20) cm long, 4–35 mm wide, narrowly to broadly oblanceolate, obovate, or occasionally spatulate, rarely elliptic-oblanceolate, angled to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, tapered at the base, the margins entire or sparsely and inconspicuously toothed (rarely with relatively large, widely spaced, spreading teeth), hairy, the surfaces moderately pubescent with more or less spreading hairs, appearing green to yellowish green or pale green, with 3–7 main veins. Inflorescences 1 to several per plant, terminal, elongate spikes, (1–)3–15(–25) cm long, 5–9 mm in diameter, densely flowered (the axis not visible between the flowers), the stalk (0.5–)2–15 cm long, spreading-hairy, the axis solid. Bracts 1.0–2.5 mm long, similar in length, mostly shorter than the flowers, broadly lanceolate to ovate, with narrow to broad, translucent margins and a thickened, bluntly keeled, green midnerve, rounded or angled to a bluntly pointed tip, hairy, at least along the midnerve. Cleistogamous flowers usually abundant. Calyces deeply 4-lobed, 1.5–2.7 mm long, slightly zygomorphic, oblong-obovate, rounded at the tip, the keel hairy, the relatively broad margins thin and papery. Corollas slightly zygomorphic, the lobes 0.8–2.3 mm long, narrowly to broadly lanceolate with a shallowly cordate base, sharply pointed at the tip, the margins entire, tan, lighter at the base, the upper lobe slightly shorter than the others, all of the other lobes erect and overlapping or less commonly spreading during flowering, but becoming erect soon afterward. Stamens 4, the anthers not horned. Fruits 2.5–3.8 mm long, narrowly ellipsoid, circumscissile below the midpoint. Seeds usually 2 per fruit, 1.4–2.0 mm long, narrowly ovate, the surface relatively deeply concave on 1 side, otherwise finely pitted or finely wrinkled to nearly smooth, yellowish brown to black, dull. 2n=12, 24. April–June.

Common throughout the state (eastern U.S. west to South Dakota, Arizona, California and Oregon; Canada, Mexico, Caribbean Islands; introduced in Europe, Asia). Glades, upland prairies, loess hill prairies, sand prairies, savannas, banks of streams and rivers, margins of sinkhole ponds, and ledges and tops of bluffs; also pastures, old fields, fallow fields, railroads, roadsides, and open, disturbed area.

This short-lived plant is among the most variable species in the genus in terms of overall size, leaf shape, and pubescence. In some dry or sandy habitats, tiny plants occur that nevertheless successfully flower and fruit.

 


 

 
 
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