Plantago elongata
Plant species in the veronica family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Plantago elongata is a species of plantain known by the common names prairie plantain and slender plantain.
| Plantago elongata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Plantago |
| Species: | P. elongata |
| Binomial name | |
| Plantago elongata | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
It is native to much of western North America, from British Columbia to California and as far east as Minnesota. It grows in wet habitats, such as vernal pools and wet meadows, including areas with saline and alkali soils, such as beaches.

Description
Plantago elongata is a petite annual herb producing a few narrow linear or threadlike basal leaves up to 10 centimeters (3.9 in) long.
The stemlike inflorescences grow erect to a maximum height around 18 centimeters (7.1 in). Atop the peduncle of the inflorescence is a spike of several tiny flowers each with a rounded or oval calyx of sepals covered with thick, fleshy green bracts.
Taxonomy
Plantago elongata was given its scientific name in 1813 by Frederick Traugott Pursh. It is classifed in the genus Plantago as part of the Plantaginaceae family. It has no accepted subspecies or varieties, but has several among its eleven heterotypic synonyms.[2]
| Name | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Plantago bigelovii A.Gray | 1857 | species |
| Plantago bigelovii subsp. californica (Greene) Bassett | 1966 | subspecies |
| Plantago californica Greene | 1885 | species |
| Plantago elongata var. bigelovii (A.Gray) B.Boivin | 1972 | variety |
| Plantago elongata var. californica (Greene) B.Boivin | 1972 | variety |
| Plantago elongata subsp. pentasperma Bassett | 1966 | subspecies |
| Plantago elongata var. pentasperma (Bassett) B.Boivin | 1972 | variety |
| Plantago hookeriana var. californica (Greene) Poe | 1928 | variety |
| Plantago linearifolia Muhl. ex Torr. | 1824 | species |
| Plantago myosuroides Rydb. | 1900 | species |
| Plantago patagonica var. rosulata Jeps. | 1901 | variety |
Range
Plantago elongata is native to Canada from British Colombia to Manitoba. In the United States it is native to the states west of Texas and North Dakota with the exception of Nevada, and also to the state of Minnesota.[2] It is also native to the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is an introduced species in South Africa.[3]