Plantago lanceolata

Ribwort plantain is a perennial species (2). The flowers are present from April to August, and are pollinated by wind, beetles and flies (7). The pollen of this species is one of the culprits responsible for hay-fever in many people (6). The seeds, which ripen from June to September, are long-lived (3) (7).  Historically, this plant has been put to many uses. The leaves have been used to stanch dress wounds, and to treat a range of illnesses such as diarrhoea, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis. The seeds have been used as a laxative and to treat parasitic worms. The seeds have also been used to stiffen cloth; they are surrounded by a coat of mucus that is removed by soaking the seeds in hot water, the resulting liquid stiffens the material (7).

This common plantain has dark green, narrow lance-shaped leaves that form rosettes (2). The deep veins visible on the leaves have earned the species the name 'ribwort' (4). The blackish flower head is short and stubby and sits on top of a wiry stem (5). These flower heads are still used in a game akin to conkers, in which one flower head is matched against another, until the weakest of the two loses its head (6). This is reflected by a number of alternative names for the plant, including fighters, soldiers and hard-heads. The other names fire-weed or fire leaf refer to the fact that farmers used to judge whether a haystack would be likely to catch fire by feeling a leaf of ribwort plantain to see how much moisture was left in the hay (5).

"Notes: Western Ghats, Naturalized, Native of Eurasia"

This perennial plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves and one or more flowering stalks. The basal leaves are up to 10" long and ¾" across, but more commonly about half this size. They are linear-elliptic and smooth along their margins, being broadest toward the middle and tapering toward their tips and the base of the rosette. There are 3-5 parallel veins along the length of each leaf. The leaves are gray-green to green and glabrous to sparsely hairy; there are usually a few hairs along the central vein on the underside of each leaf. The slender flowering stalks are devoid of leaves and about 6-18" tall. They are often slightly furrowed or angular, and there are scattered hairs on the stalks toward the base of the plant. Each stalk terminates in an oblongoid spike of flowers about ½–2" long. The small flowers are densely crowded together, facing in all directions along this spike. During the bud stage, this spike is gray-green and bluntly conical at its apex, but it becomes light brown and cylindrical as the flowers bloom from the bottom to the top. Each flower has 4 sepals, a short corolla with 4 spreading lobes, and some papery bracts underneath. The strongly exerted stamens are the most conspicuous feature of the flowers, which have large white anthers on slender filaments. The blooming period occurs intermittently from late spring to early fall and can last several months for a population of plants in a given locale. The flowers are wind-pollinated and they have no floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a small seed capsule that is ovoid or oblongoid; it splits cleanly and evenly in the lower half to release 2 small seeds. Each seed is oblongoid, dark brown or black, and strongly indented on one side. The root system consists of a shallow crown of coarse fibrous roots. This plant spreads primarily by reseeding itself.

English Plantain fits the public's stereotype of a weed pretty well; it is quite common in lawns. There are several plantain species in Illinois, both native and introduced. Compared to many other plantains, English Plantain has leaves that are more narrow and flowering spikes that are shorter. For example, its leaves are more narrow than the broad-leaved plantains, Plantago rugelii and Plantago major, and its flowering spikes are shorter than other narrow-leaved plantains, such as Plantago virginica and Plantago aristata. The adventive species Plantago media (Hoary Plantain) is quite similar in appearance to English Plantain, but its flowering spikes are more narrowly cylindrical and it has wider leaves. However, Hoary Plantain apparently doesn't occur in Illinois.

Perennial herb with leaves in a dense basal rosette. Leaves linear-lanceolate, conspicuous parallel veins. Many stems arise with single terminal inflorescences; flowers minute creamy-yellow.

lanceolata: lanceolate

"

Global Distribution

Native of South America

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: Idukki

"

The introduced English Plantain is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is native to Eurasia. Habitats include lawns, cracks in pavement, vacant lots, fallow fields, grassy paths, and roadsides. This plant prefers disturbed areas and it has not invaded natural areas to any significant extent. Faunal Associations

Nile region.

Europe, North Africa, Southwest Asia.

Plantago lanceolata var. sphaerostachya Mert. ex W.D.J. Koch:
Canada (North America)
United States (North 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.

Plantago altissima L.:
United States (North 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.

Plantago lanceolata L.:
Bhutan (Asia)
India (Asia)
Japan (Asia)
Kyrgyzstan (Asia)
Kazakhstan (Asia)
Mongolia (Asia)
North Korea (Asia)
Nepal (Asia)
Pakistan (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)
Tajikistan (Asia)
Turkmenistan (Asia)
United States (North America)
Uzbekistan (Asia)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
Canada (North America)
China (Asia)
Ecuador (South America)
Peru (South America)
Panama (Mesoamerica)
French Guiana (South America)
Chile (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Bolivia (South America)
Argentina (South America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
Venezuela (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.

Europe, North Africa, North and Central Asia; widely introduced to many other countries

Plantago lacustris is strictly endemic to Morocco. It is found at six sites, all situated in the Middle Atlas. Its extent of occurrence covers about 6,000 km² within which the area of occupancy is below 500 km².

This native plant is widespread and common throughout Britain (3). Pollen analysis has shown that the plant spread as Neolithic farming increased and the extent of the wild forest decreased (6). Ribwort plantain also occurs in much of Europe, except the far north, North Africa, and north and central Asia. It has been introduced to many other temperate countries (2).

Distribution: Europe, North Africa, south Asia to the mountains of TienShan and Pamir Alaj; introduced all over the world.

Europe and Asia eastwards to Tien Shan and Himalaya, a commonly introduced weed elsewhere.

Vern: Danichk, Brohi Barz (Baluchi); Aspangara (Sind); Purhat (Pashto) Isabgool, Gola (Kashmiri)

Perennial herb, acaulescent, small to 30 (-60) cm tall. Leaves membranous, narrow lanceolate to narrow elliptic, 10-25 (-40) cm long, 1-3 (-5) cm broad, glabrous slightly pilose or attenuated, acute, at the base narrowed into a narrow petiole, nerves 5. Scapes erect, 15-30 (-60) cm long, sulcate, sparsely covered with white hairs. Spikes dense, conic-cylindrical, subglobose to globose, 1-3 (-4) cm long. Bracts broad ovate, narrowly caudate, 4-5 cm long, erose-undulate, carinate. Sepals 3-3.5 mm long, glabrous or at the margin villose, anterior sepals connate, obovate, bilobed. Corolla lobes narrow ovate to ovate. Seeds 2, smooth.

1700 m

"Perennial herbs, taproot long and thick. Leaves basal, glabrous or pubescent; petiole tenuous, 2-10 cm; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, or elliptic-lanceolate, 6-20 × 0.5-4.5 cm, papery, veins (3 or)5(or 7), base narrowly cuneate and decurrent onto petiole, margin entire or remotely denticulate, apex acuminate to acute. Spikes conic-ovoid at first but later capitate to shortly cylindric, 1-5(-8) cm, densely flowered; peduncle 10-60 cm, 5-sulcate, appressed pubescent; bracts ovate to elliptic, 3.5-5 mm, densely hirsute, keel spatulate, apex scarious and caudate. Sepals 2-3.5 mm, abaxially usually hirsute, keel narrow and not extending to apex; lower sepals connate to near apex, broadly obovate, 2-keeled, margin with sparse trichomes; upper sepals distinct, broadly ovate. Corolla white, glabrous; lobes ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-3 mm, patent to reflexed, apex shortly acuminate. Stamens adnate to near middle of corolla tube, exserted; anthers white or yellowish, ellipsoid, 2.5-3 mm. Pyxis narrowly ovoid, 3-4 mm, circumscissile near base; seeds 1 or 2, brown to dark brown, narrowly ellipsoid to oblong, 2-2.6 mm, shiny, with a broad groove on ventral face."

The introduced English Plantain is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is native to Eurasia. Habitats include lawns, cracks in pavement, vacant lots, fallow fields, grassy paths, and roadsides. This plant prefers disturbed areas and it has not invaded natural areas to any significant extent. Faunal Associations

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater

Comments: Waste places and mown or grazed fields.

Occurs in a great variety of habitats, including meadows, pastures, upland grasslands, roadsides and river banks, sand dunes, cliffs, waste ground, on cultivated land, lawns and on walls (3).

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / feeds on
Alophus triguttatus feeds on Plantago lanceolata
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous colony of Cercospora dematiaceous anamorph of Cercospora plantaginis causes spots on live leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 3

Foodplant / open feeder
imago of Chrysolina banksi grazes on leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 5-6,9-10

Foodplant / open feeder
adult of Chrysolina haemoptera grazes on leaf of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / open feeder
adult of Chrysolina staphylaea grazes on live leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: early 7-late 10,4-

Foodplant / gall
Ditylenchus dipsaci causes gall of live leaf of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / gall
Galled inflorescence of Plantago lanceolata causes gall of inflorescence of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / feeds on
Gymnetron labile feeds on Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / feeds on
Gymnetron pascuorum feeds on Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, sometimes becoming free pseudothecium of Leptospora rubella is saprobic on dead stem of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 4-8

Foodplant / feeds on
Mecinus circulatus feeds on Plantago lanceolata
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
Mecinus pyraster feeds on Plantago lanceolata
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
erumpent, sessile apothecium of Mollisia plantaginis parasitises fading leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: (10-)2-3(-7)

Foodplant / spot causer
sporangium of Peronospora alta causes spots on live Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 7-8
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent, linearly arranged pycnidium of Phoma coelomycetous anamorph of Phoma polygramma is saprobic on dead petiole of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 2-3

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed under blackish-brown epidermis pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis subordinaria is saprobic on dead stem (upper part) of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 6-11

Foodplant / miner
larva of Phytomyza plantaginis mines leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, sessile apothecium of Pirottaea plantaginis is saprobic on stem of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 6

Foodplant / saprobe
colony of Stemphylium dematiaceous anamorph of Pleospora herbarum is saprobic on dead stem of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / parasite
cleistothecium of Podosphaera plantaginis parasitises live Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 8-10

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous colony of Ramularia anamorph of Ramularia rhabdospora causes spots on live leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 3-10

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, immersed the raising and piercing, black pycnidium of Rhabdospora coelomycetous anamorph of Rhabdospora pachyderma is saprobic on dead, dry, locally cinereous stem of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, covered then erumpent pycnidium of Septoria coelomycetous anamorph of Septoria plantaginea causes spots on fading leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 10

Foodplant / spot causer
minute, covered pycnidium of Septoria coelomycetous anamorph of Septoria plantaginis causes spots on fading leaf of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / saprobe
stromatic strand of Spilopodia nervisequa is saprobic on dead often frayed leaf (vein) of Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 2-4

Foodplant / gall
Synchytrium erieum causes gall of live leaf of Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / open feeder
nocturnal larva of Tenthredo obsoleta grazes on leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Other: sole host/prey

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Thanatephorus sterigmaticus is associated with leaf of Plantago lanceolata
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Thrips nigropilosus feeds on live Plantago lanceolata
Remarks: season: 5-9

Foodplant / feeds on
Trichosirocalus rufulus feeds on Plantago lanceolata

Foodplant / feeds on
Trichosirocalus troglodytes feeds on Plantago lanceolata

Local

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: 11
Specimens with Barcodes: 43
Species With Barcodes: 1

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Abundant in fields and waste places through most of Europe and North America.

Not threatened (3).

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

This plant is not threatened.

Conservation Actions

Biological Research Needs: None

Conservation action is not required for this species.

Typical growing conditions are full sunlight and a mesic to dry soil that is somewhat heavy and contains clay. This plant also occurs partial sunlight (in which case the foliage becomes somewhat taller and larger) and other kinds of soil. It withstands regular mowing and some trampling.