309B-3-Plantago-gaudichaudii-fl-Colleen-Miller.jpg

Plantago gaudichaudii

Narrow-leaf Plantain

Perennial herb with stout taproot & fine roots.

Additional information

  • FamilyPlantaginaceae
  • StoreyLower storey
  • Sizeto 20 cm, flower stem to 42 cm high
  • Plant groupingHerbs & Groundcovers <1m
  • LeavesA rosette of erect narrow 3-veined leaves 7-20 cm x 2-14 mm, stalk indistinct, margins entire or with distant blunt teeth, tufts of brown hairs at leaf bases & along margins under teeth.
  • Flower colourGreenish
  • Flowering timeSeptember to April
  • FlowersCompact erect cylindrical flowering spike 4-12 cm long on a downy stalk 5-30 cm long. Scattered hairs on sepals.
  • Bird attractingNo
  • Butterfly attractingFood plant for caterpillars
  • Frog habitatNo
  • Growing conditionsHeavy clay soil in moist forest. Shade. Very limited distribution in the Shire. Collected from the Mt.Evelyn area.
  • Garden useColony-forming. Grow in moist shaded and gully areas.
  • Commercially availableWholesale only - order in advance
  • Conservation statusSignificant within the Shire. Known from very few local sites. More common to the west outside the Shire boundary.
  • Related speciesSimilar to Plantago varia but leaves are much narrower, hair at leaf bases finer. Leaves may be hairless or have some hairs especially along margins.
Photographer/s: 1, 3 Colleen Miller ©; 2, 4 Russell Best, NatureShare ©

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