Common name: Lamb's Tongues, Plantain
Plantago lanceolata L. APNI*
Description: Annual or biennial herb, with a persistent taproot; densely or sparsely pilose or silky.
Leaves basal, lamina lanceolate to elliptic, 8–20 cm long, 10–30 mm wide, 5-veined, margins with a few minute teeth, tapering gradually to a slender petiole.
Scapes to 45 cm high, longitudinally ridged; spike ovoid to cylindrical, 1–12 cm long, compact; bracts obovate to elliptic, 3–4 mm long, acuminate. Sepals unequal, anterior sepals fused, posterior sepals narrow-elliptic with a narrow glabrous or pubescent keel. Corolla lobes ovate, 1.5 mm long, acuminate.
Capsule 3–4 mm long.
Flowering: chiefly September–April
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in disturbed sites, pastures and a garden weed; widespread and abundant, from coastal districts to Griffith area. Native of Eur. and N & C Asia.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *SWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by B. G. Briggs Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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