Species

Plantago coronopus

Etymology

Plantago: old Latin name for flat-leaved plants

Common Name(s)

buck's horn plantain

Family

Plantaginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

PLACOR

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Habitat

Terrestrial. Extensively naturalised in coastal areas. common around lowland lakes inland, in waste places and other modified areas.

Features

Annual or perennial herb with persistent taproot. Leaves all radical, 120 x 5 mm with 1-4 pairs of lobes or teeth. Flowering stem up to 45 cm long, usually clothed in hairs, cylindrical spike contains many flowers. Capsule up to 2 mm long, usually containing 4 small pinkish-brown seeds.

Similar Taxa

P. coronopis is a very variable species in New Zealand. Can be distinguished by the combination of the radical leaves with lobes or teeth, and the scape with many flowers.

Flowering

July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple

Year Naturalised

1873

Origin

Europe, W. Asia

Reason For Introduction
Accidental

Reproduction
Seed.

Seed
seed is produced.

Dispersal
Soil movement, people.

Tolerances
Highly salt tolerant.

This page last updated on 5 May 2011