Plantago wrightiana Decne.

Wright's Plantain

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Wright's Plantain is a native annual in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It can be found in the southern two-thirds of Alabama, but is most common in the southern half of Alabama. Wright's Plantain occurs in dry sandy soils in full sun. It can be found in sand hills, scrub oak woods, xeric sandy pine woods, on roadsides, along railroad tracks, and around the margins of fields. It is an annual with a tap root. Leaves are all basal. Leaves are linear in outline, entire, and pilose (covered with long, soft hairs). Each leaf has 3-5 main veins. Flowers are produced in dense spikes on long peduncles. The peduncle is round, green in color, and pubescent. Each flower has 4 large sepals that are green with a white/translucent margin. The sepals are pubescent. There are 4 petals per flower. The petals are white/translucent. The lateral petals are larger than then dorsal and ventral petals. The throat of the flower is rusty yellow-brown. The fruit is a capsule with many seed. Wright's Plantain can often be “weedy” and occur in great abundance in disturbed sites such as fire breaks, field margins, and clear cuts.--A. Diamond

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Native

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