Plantago lanceolata, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 42

20. P. lanceolata L. , Sp. Pl. 113 (1753) .

Perennial with several rosettes; roots up to 0-75 mm thick. Leaves 2-30 x 0-5-3- 5 cm, usually linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, entire or remotely and shallowly dentate, 3- to 5-(to 7-)veined, subglabrous, appressed-pubescent or villous, sessile or with a petiole up to as long as the lamina. Scapes about twice as long as leaves, strongly 5-sulcate, more or less appressed-hairy; spikes O-5-5(-8) cm, very dense. Bracts 2-5-3 -5 mm, ovate, glabrous or shortly hairy. Sepals 2-5-3 mm, the anterior connate for most of their length but their midribs separate, often shortly hairy, usually ciliate above. Corolla-tube 2-3 mm, glabrous; lobes 1 -5-2-5 mm, lanceolate to ovate, acute or acuminate, glabrous. Stamens exserted 3-5 mm; anthers yellowish. Capsule 3-4 mm; seeds 2, c. 2 mm, cymbiform. 2/z= 12 + 0-lB. Europe, except the extreme north. All except Sb.

Extremely variable; much of the variation reflects differences in habitat and some is of a clinal nature. Plants with tomentose-lanate leaves, shortly hairy bracts, often decumbent scapes and globose spikes ( var. sphaerostachya Mert. & Koch ) are common in dry habitats; although the hairiness appears to show some clinal variation, decumbent scapes and globose spikes are not associated with it in other populations, and formal recognition of this and any of the numerous other variants as subspecies seems impractical.