Plantago coronopus

The leaves of buck's-horn plantain have a strong resemblance to deer antlers, which explains its name. This plant cannot tolerate much competition from other plants, however it grows well under circumstances unpleasant for most plants. It tolerates certain extreme or fluctuating conditions, such as salt and wetness/dryness. Young plants are more sensitive to treading and salt, while older plants are more tolerant. Buck's-horn plantain stores the salt in its leaves, as opposed to sea lavender which excretes the salt. The plant has been cultivated for centuries as a vegetable, being particularly popular in Italy.

Mediterranean region.

Europe, North Africa and southwest Asia to Pakistan, naturalized elsewhere.

Plantago coronopus L.:
United States (North America)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
Chile (South America)
Canada (North America)
Brazil (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Distribution of species: Europe from southern Scandinavia to England and Mediterranian regions to Western Asia. Introduced in North America, Australia and New Zealand; Pakistan, Waziristan (Blatter et al).

Perennial or annual, small, stemless herb, up to 15 (-20) cm tall, hirsute; hairs more or less appressed. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 8-10 (-12) cm long, 1 (-1.8) cm broad, pinnatidentate to (bi-) pinnatifid; segments linear to lanceolate, acute. Scapes 5-8 cm long, ascendent or erect, longer to sometimes shorter than the leaves. Spikes narrow cylindrical. Bracts ovate, acute to acuminate, narrowly margined, covered with short appressed hairs. Anterior sepals narrow to broad elliptic, 2-2.75 mm long, margin, ciliolate, carinate, posterior sepals ovate, broad, up to 3 mm long. Corolla tube pilose. Seeds 4-5.

The type subsp. has scapes thin to moderately thick. Spikes narrow cylindrical, lax to more or less dense. Bracts scarcely shorter, usually longer than the calyx; carina in the bracts and anterior sepal moderately broad. It is probably confind to Pakistan.

Plant / resting place / under
adult of Chrysolina haemoptera may be found under leaf of Plantago coronopus
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Chrysolina intermedia grazes on live leaf of Plantago coronopus
Remarks: captive: in captivity, culture, or experimentally induced

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
cleistothecium of Erysiphe sordida parasitises live Plantago coronopus
Remarks: season: 9-10

Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Henestaris laticeps sucks sap of Plantago coronopus

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Mecinus collaris feeds on Plantago coronopus

Foodplant / parasite
underground tuber of Orobanche minor var. maritima parasitises root of Plantago coronopus
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Trichosirocalus dawsoni feeds on Plantago coronopus

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 7
Specimens with Barcodes: 7
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Common through much of Europe.

These species are introduced in Switzerland.