Plantago canescens : Northern Plantain

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Genera: Plantago (Plantain) (Lat. planus=flat, level; or planta=sole of foot; referring to the broad flat leaves of P.major)

Species: canescens

Synonym(s): P.septata

English Name(s):

Northern Plantain,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Stems scapose (leafless).
• Tufted herbaceous plants from a taproot.
• Stems 8-30 cm high, erect or ascending, sparsely pubescent (hairy) to almost hairless.

Leaves:

• All basal (from base), forming a basal-rosette, and are petiolate (on a stalk).
• Major veins parallel.
• 5-25 cm long, but shorter than the plants stems.
• Lanceolate to oblong or occasionally linear in shape.
• Margins entire (smooth) or irregularily dentate (toothed).

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers in terminal (at tip) spikes,
• Flowers small, perfect (bisexual), regular in symmetry, 4-merous.
• Pistil one, with ovary superior (above recepacle).
• 3-12 cm long, dense or in some interupted toward base.
• Flower bracts broadly or roundly ovate thin at margins, about 2 mm long.
• Stamens (male parts) up to 7 mm long.

Seed:

• Fruit a 2-loculed (chambered) capsule opening by a cup-shaped lid.
• Seeds finely pitted with 4 per capsule.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves and stems deciduous (dieing back).

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Steep open slopes, riverbanks, gravel eskers, and screes.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: