Plantago aristata Michx.

Large Bract Plantain; Bracted Plantain

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Large Bract Plantain is a native annual in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Large Bract Plantain occurs on roadsides, in sandy open woods, in clear cuts, and in other open, often disturbed sites. It is an annual with a tap root. Plants are acaulescent or with a short stem. Leaves form a basal rosette. Leaves are linear, entire, and pubescent. Flowers are produced in a dense spike. The spike are up to 6 inches in length. The scape (stalk below the spike of flowers) is pubescent with hairs that are pustulate (having a swollen base). Each flower is subtended by a long, linear, pubescent bract. Each flower has 4 sepals. Two of the sepals are mostly green and pubescent with thin scarious (dry and membranous) margins. The other two sepals are mostly scarious with a thin green midrib. There are 4 thin white/translucent petals. The fruit is a capsule. Large Bract Plantain varies greatly in size of plants, numbers of flowers in the spike, and in pubescence. It can sometime be weedy in disturbed areas.--A. Diamond

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Native

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