Plantago lanigera Hook.f.

Rosette plants; primary root 2–9 mm thick. Leaves all basal, 9–21 to per rosette, green or brown when dry, usually narrowly angular–obovate or angular–obovate, sometimes narrowly obovate, rarely narrowly elliptic or narrowly rhombic, widest point usually above middle, sometimes at middle, 12–64 mm long, 2–16 mm wide; axillary hairs rust coloured, usually slightly to very visible, rarely not visible, up to 2–15 mm long. Lamina narrowly elliptic, elliptic, narrowly rhombic, rhombic, narrowly obovate, obovate, narrowly angular–ovate or angular–ovate, widest point usually at middle or above middle, rarely below middle, 4–42 mm long, usually punctate, rarely not punctate, with isolated hairs, sparsely hairy or densely hairy, rarely glabrous adaxially, usually glabrous, sometimes densely hairy in patches near midrib abaxially; hairs patent and 0.6–3.0 mm; veins 1–3; lamina apex acute or obtuse; base attenuate or cuneate; margins subentire with wavy to irregular margins, with 0–10 minute, rarely small, obtuse teeth up to 0.1–1.3 mm long, with isolated hairs, sparsely hairy or densely hairy, rarely glabrous; petiole often distinguishable from lamina, 2–28 mm long, 0.7–4.4 mm wide at narrowest point. Inflorescences erect, 1–13 per rosette, 13–116 mm long (including spikes); scapes usually elongating before anthesis, rarely sessile, not ribbed, 10–105 mm long, 3–8 mm thick at fruiting, sparsely to densely hairy; trichomes patent, type ‘g’ (proximally), antrorse, type ‘i’ (distally); spikes usually globose or ovoid, rarely long and linear–ovoid, 2–10 mm long, 3–8 mm thick at fruiting. Flowers 1–9 per spike, densely crowded; bracts 1 per flower, ovate, broadly ovate or very broadly ovate, usually acute, rarely obtuse, 1.6–3.0 mm long, 0.8–1.8 mm wide (as is), 1.3–2.5 mm wide (flattened); bract margins glabrous or with isolated hairs and outer surface glabrous; bract axils usually sparsely or densely hairy, rarely with isolated hairs, 0.4–1.4 mm long; calyx longer or shorter than capsule, 2.0–3.4 mm long, 1.4–3.0 mm wide; calyx lobes narrowly ovate or ovate, usually acute, sometimes obtuse, 2.0–3.0 mm long, 0.8–1.8 mm wide; calyx lobe margins scarious and glabrous, middle coloured part 0.3–0.8 mm wide, outer surface glabrous; corolla tube 1.7–2.6 mm long, usually longer than lobes; corolla lobes usually narrowly ovate, rarely ovate, acute, 1.1–2.3 mm long, 0.4–1.0 mm wide; stamen filaments 1.9–6.7 mm long, attached to usually lower half or rarely upper half of corolla tube 0.2–1.2 mm from tube base; anthers 0.7–1.4 mm long (including appendix); style 2.6–6.8 mm long, densely hairy throughout; stigma filiform, undifferentiated from style or rarely with a thin hook; ovary 0.6–1.7 mm long, 0.4–1.6 mm wide; ovules 8–13. Capsules usually ellipsoid, broadly ellipsoid, globose or ovoid, rarely obovoid, widest at usually lower half to middle, rarely upper half, septum not reaching top of capsule, not forming an upper compartment to one side, 1.8–4.2 mm long, 1.4–3.0 mm wide, 0.6–2.1 mm deep; lower portion 0.6–2.5 mm long, cup-shaped. Seeds 4–13 per capsule, uniform, narrowly ellipsoid, ellipsoid, broadly ellipsoid, rhomboid, ovoid, angular–ovoid or pyramidal, light rust, rust or brown, 0.6–1.5 mm long, 0.3–1.0 mm wide; edges angular or rounded.

[Reproduced from Meudt (2012, New Zealand J. Bot. 50: 101–178) with permission from The Royal Society of New Zealand.]

Flowering: Dec.–Feb.