Plantago erecta E.Morris

Nomenclature

Plantago erecta E.Morris is a flowering plant in the plantain family, with the common names California plantain, foothill plantain, dot-seed plantain, English plantain, and dwarf plantain.

Vegetative and Floral Traits

It is a small, unobtrusive annual herb that produces needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered along a stalk.

Native Range

This species is native to the California Floristic Province, found in Baja California, California, and Oregon.

California Distribution

Within California, it grows widely across most of the state, excluding desert regions and the northeastern portion of the state.

Baja California Distribution

In Baja California, its main range extends from the Mexico–United States border south to El Rosario and the Sierra de San Pedro Martir; it also occurs in a disjunct isolated population in the southern part of the state at Sierra La Libertad.

Soil Preferences

It most commonly grows in sandy, clay, or serpentine soils.

Habitat Types

Its typical habitats include grassy slopes, flats, dunes, openings between shrubs, and open woodland.

Ecoregion Membership

It is a member of ecoregions including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, mountains, coastal succulent scrub, and desert at the southern end of its range in Baja California.

Population Characteristics

Populations of this plant are usually patchy and localized, and typically host many individual plants.

Host Species Role

Plantago erecta acts as a host species for the Edith's checkerspot butterfly.