Plantago lanigera Hook.fil.

Taxon Naming

Plantago lanigera Hook.fil. plants form small rosettes, with a primary root up to 9 mm thick.

Rosette Leaf Count & Shape

Each rosette produces up to 21 leaves, which are most commonly narrowly angular-ovate or angular-ovate. Short, rust-coloured hairs shorter than 15 mm are visible in the leaf axils of the basal rosette.

Leaf Veins & Dimensions

The leaves have 1 to 3 veins, measure 12–64 mm long including the petiole, and reach up to 16 mm wide. They are usually punctate, typically sparsely to densely hairy on the upper surface, and usually hairless (glabrous) on the lower surface.

Leaf Apex & Margin

Leaf apexes are either acute or obtuse, and leaf margins are smooth, wavy, or bear up to 10 minute teeth. The petiole is usually distinguishable from the leaf blade, and grows up to 28 mm long.

Inflorescence Count & Size

Each rosette produces up to 13 erect inflorescences, which can reach 116 mm in total length. The inflorescence stalks (scapes) are smooth and sparsely to densely hairy.

Inflorescence Spike & Flower Count

The inflorescence spikes are globose or ovoid, and hold 1–9 densely packed flowers. Each flower has one small bract, which is broadly ovate to very broadly ovate and usually glabrous.

Flower Calyx Dimensions

The flower calyx is 2.0–3.4 mm long and 1.4–3.0 mm wide, and is glabrous.

Flower Organ Dimensions

The corolla tube measures 1.7–2.6 mm long, corolla lobes are 1.1–2.3 mm long, stamen filaments are 1.9–6.7 mm long, anthers are 0.7–1.4 mm long, and the style is 2.6–6.8 mm long and densely hairy. The ovary is 0.6–1.7 mm long, and contains up to 13 ovules.

Fruit Type & Dehiscence

The fruit is a dry, dehiscent capsule that splits via circumsessile dehiscence. It is broadly ellipsoid, globose, or ovoid, widest at or below its middle, and measures 1.8–4.2 mm long by 1.4–3.0 mm wide.

Seed Characteristics

Each capsule holds 4–13 uniform rust or brown seeds, which are 0.6–1.5 mm long and shaped ellipsoid, rhomboid, or angular-ovoid.

Flowering & Fruiting Periods

Plantago lanigera flowers from October to February and fruits from November to April.

Chromosome Numbers

Its recorded chromosome numbers are 2n=12 or 2n=24; the 2n=24 counts include nine individuals previously listed as 'P. novae-zelandiae diploid' and 'P. novae-zelandiae tetraploid'.

Endemic Distribution Range

This plantain species is endemic to the North, South, and Stewart Islands of New Zealand.

North Island Distribution

In the North Island, it occurs in the Taranaki and Southern North Island regions.

South Island Distribution

On the South Island, it is found in Western Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, Otago, Fiordland, and Southland regions.

Habitat & Elevation

It grows in herbfields, grasslands, and shrublands, as well as in bogs, on stream and tarn edges, on rocks, and on ridges, all in damp or wet areas, at elevations from 580 to 1820 m above sea level.