About Plantago aristata Michx.
Plantago aristata Michx. is an annual herb that usually lacks a true stem. It grows a circular rosette of many narrow, linear leaves, with each leaf reaching up to 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) in length. Stem-like inflorescences grow erect, reaching a maximum height of around 30 to 35 centimeters (12 to 14 inches). A dense spike of many small flowers sits atop the inflorescence's peduncle; each flower has four whitish lobes that are a few millimeters long. Between the flowers are long, narrow bracts that may grow to 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) long, and these distinctive bracts are the defining characteristic of the species. Fluffy hairs surround the bases of the bracts, near the flowers.
