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- Plantago media
Plantago media — hoary plantain
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Hoary plantain is less invasive than some of the other exotic plantains, but it still appears as a weed of lawns and other disturbed areas. This species did not appear in the North American flora until the nineteen-fifties.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Flower petal color
-
- other
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
- 4
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 3 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 1.7–1.9 mm
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- the petal margins do not have cilia
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower petal color
-
- other
- white
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Inflorescence length
- 15–100 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Length of peduncle
- 150–450 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
-
- the perianth is cylindric (tube-shaped)
- the perianth is salverform (with a slender basal tube and a more-or-less horizontally spreading mouth)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
-
- other
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are green and/or leafy in texture
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Petal length
- 1.7–2.3 mm
- Petal number
- 4
- Petal shape
-
- the petal outline is elliptic (shaped like an ellipse; widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the petal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal cilia
- the sepals do not have cilia
- Sepal color
-
- green to brown
- other
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal number
- 4
- Sepal relative length
- NA
- Sepal shape
- the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Sepal texture
-
- the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture
- the sepals are thin and dry, paperlike
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
- 4
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the petals
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- NA
- Capsule splitting
- NA
- Carpel beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- the pyxis splits on or near the middle
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 3 mm
- Fruit locules
- two
- Fruit shape
- the fruit is ellipsoid (widest in the middle and tapering to each end)
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a pyxis (when dry it splits around the middle, and the top falls off, exposing the seeds)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 2 mm
- Seed number
- 2–4
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
-
- the bracts are flat across the surface, or they have a very slight raised ridge at the center
- the bracts are smooth and hairless
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Flower bract length
- 2–3 mm
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- the petiole has hairs on it
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 45–130 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the major veins radiate out from one point at the base
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
-
- the leaf blade has a fleshy or spongy texture
- the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade width
- 6–110 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- the hairs are flat against the leaf surface, mostly pointing towards the leaf tip
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk length
- 5–80 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaf variation
- NA
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (i.e., basal)
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- the hairs are pressed flat against the plant, pointing towards the plant's tip
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- NA
- Leaves on stem
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
- Plant height
- 10–20 cm
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Plantago major:
- fruit with mostly 6-11 seeds and roots slender (vs. P. media, with fruit with 2-4 seeds and primary root thickened and tuberous near junction with foliage).
Synonyms
- Arnoglossum incanum S.F. Gray
- Plantago incana Stokes
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
8. Plantago media L. E
hoary plantain. Arnoglossum incanum S.F. Gray; Plantago incana Stokes • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI. Fields, waste areas, lawns.