broadleaf plantain
(Plantago major)
This species is Introduced in the United States
Appearance
Plantago major is a perennial from a basal rosette with broad oval leaves.
Foliage
Smooth or slightly hairy, oval to elliptic, with a waxy surface and veins that are parallel to the margins. Margins are un-toothed and sometimes wavy.
Flowers
Flowers produced on unbranched stalks that arise from the rosette. Flowering stems are 5-15 in. (12.7-38.1 cm) long, clustered with small flowers that have whitish petals and bracts surrounding the flowers.
Fruit
A 2-celled oval capsule, 0.12-0.2 in. (3-5 mm) long, that opens by a lid around the middle.
Ecological Threat
Plantago major can be found throughout the United States, primarily a weed of turfgrass. It is native to Eurasia.
Selected Images
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Invasive Listing Sources
- City of Ann Arbor Michigan Parks and Recreation
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
- Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
| Phylum: Magnoliophyta |
| Class: Magnoliopsida |
| Superorder: Asteranae |
| Order: Lamiales |
| Family: Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: Plantago |
| Plantago major |
Other System Links
Plants: PLMA2
Bayer: PLAMA
GRIN: 28788
ITIS: 32887
NPDN Pest: PDXABBD
NPDN Host: 31536
References
Common Name Reference: Weed Science Society of America Common Names List
Scientific Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.