Citation: All., Fl. Ped. 1:82, t. 85, fig. 3 (1785).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Hairy plantain.

Description:
Annuals with leaves in a basal rosette, and with long pale hairs from the axils, the tap root slender; leaves subpetiolate with a long cuneate base, linear-oblanceolate, 10-75 x 2-5 mm, usually bluntly acute, entire, with 1 rarely 3 main veins, with scattered long spreading hairs.

Spike ovoid to cylindrical, 1-3.5 cm long, compact; peduncle 1.5-6 cm long, erect, terete, densely covered with long and short fine silky hairs spreading at about right angles, with lower flowers rarely borne above the leaf apices; bracts ovate-acuminate, the basal ones usually distinctly longer than the sepals, with a scarcely membranous margin; sepals elliptic to oblong, 3-3.5 mm long, unequal, densely hairy and with very long hairs towards the apex, with a narrow membranous margin; corolla tube 2.5-3 mm long; lobes lanceolate-acuminate, 1-1.5 mm long; anthers broadly oblong, c. 1 mm long, with the appendage scarcely smaller than the anther; ovary 2-celled with 1 ovule in each cell.

Capsule ellipsoid to globose, 2-2.5 mm long; seeds 2, 1.5-2 mm long, pitted.

	Habit and inflorescence.
Image source: fig. 614C in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Pilger (1937) Pfianzenreich 4, 269:fig. 41, 1-7.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: FR, EP, NL, MU, SL, SE.   Vic.   Native to southern Europe and the Middle East. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Sept. — Dec.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Distinguished from depauperate specimens of other species by its long fine hairs particularly on the peduncle and long lower bracts.

Author: Not yet available