Plantago raoulii Decne.

Rosette plants; primary root 3–17 mm thick. Leaves all basal, 5–21 to per rosette, green or brown when dry, usually narrowly angular–obovate, angular–obovate, sometimes linear, narrowly rhombic or narrowly obovate, widest point usually above middle, sometimes at middle, 21–270 mm long, 4–27 mm wide; axillary hairs rust coloured, slightly to very visible, up to 2–10 mm long. Lamina narrowly elliptic, elliptic, narrowly rhombic, rhombic, narrowly obovate, obovate, narrowly angular–obovate or angular–obovate, widest point usually at middle, sometimes above middle, rarely below middle, 13–125 mm long, not punctate, usually sparsely hairy, rarely with isolated hairs along the midrib adaxially, usually sparsely or densely hairy, rarely with isolated hairs only or glabrous abaxially; hairs patent and 0.3–1.7 mm; veins 1–3(–5); lamina apex usually acute, sometimes obtuse; base usually attenuate, sometimes cuneate; margins entire or subentire with wavy and irregular margins, with 0–14 minute, small or medium, rarely large, obtuse, regular teeth up to 0.2–4.6 mm long, usually sparsely hairy, rarely with isolated hairs only; petiole usually distinguishable from lamina, 5–167 mm long, 0.8–4.8 mm wide at narrowest point. Inflorescences erect, 2–20 per rosette, 45–386 mm long (including spikes); scapes usually elongating before anthesis, rarely sessile, not ribbed, 35–366 mm long, 4–10 mm thick at fruiting, sparsely or densely hairy, especially near top; trichomes usually patent, type ‘g’ (proximally), antrorse, type ‘i’ (distally), sometimes type ‘i’ only; spikes usually long and linear–ovoid, sometimes ovoid, 5–32 mm long, 4–10 mm thick at fruiting. Flowers 4–59 per spike, usually densely crowded, rarely more distant below (up to 5 mm apart); bracts 1 per flower, ovate, broadly ovate or very broadly ovate, usually acute, sometimes obtuse, 1.5–2.3 mm long, 0.7–1.9 mm wide (as is), 1.3–2.4 mm wide (flattened); bract margins glabrous except for isolated hairs near apex and outer surface usually glabrous, rarely with isolated hairs on midrib; bract axils sparsely hairy or with isolated hairs, 0.4–1.3 mm long; calyx usually shorter, rarely longer than capsule, 1.5–2.4 mm long, 1.1–2.7 mm wide; calyx lobes ovate or broadly ovate, usually obtuse, sometimes acute, 1.5–2.3 mm long, 0.8–2.0 mm wide; calyx lobe margins scarious and usually with isolated hairs at apex, rarely glabrous, middle coloured part 0.3–0.7 mm wide, outer surface glabrous; corolla tube 1.3–2.2 mm long, longer than lobes; corolla lobes ovate, acute, 0.6–1.2 mm long, 0.3–0.7 mm wide); stamen filaments 0.7–2.5 mm long, attached to usually lower half, rarely upper half of corolla tube 0.4–1.1 mm from tube base; anthers 0.5–1.0 mm long (including appendix); style 1.1–3.6 mm long, densely hairy throughout; stigma filiform, undifferentiated from style or rarely with a thin hook; ovary 0.8–2.0 mm long, 0.5–1.1 mm wide; ovules 4–6. Capsules ellipsoid, broadly ellipsoid, rhomboid, broadly rhomboid, ovoid or angular–ovoid, widest at lower half or middle, septum always reaching top of capsule, forming an upper compartment to one side that almost always contains a seed, 1.8–4.3 mm long, 1.1–2.7 mm wide, 0.6–2.0 mm deep; lower portion 0.7–2.2 mm long, cup-shaped. Seeds 4–6 per capsule, two or three size classes, ellipsoid or broadly ellipsoid (2–4 seeds), or rhomboid, broadly rhomboid, angular–ovoid or broadly angular–ovoid (top seed and sometimes two others), rust, brown or dark brown, 0.6–2.2 mm long, 0.4–1.0 mm wide; edges angular (1–3 seeds) and rounded (2–4 seeds).

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

Flowering: Nov.–Apr.