Plantago rugelii
Encyclopedia
Plantago rugelii is a 3-12 inch tall perennial
in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae
). A native of North America, it is similar to the closely related Plantago major.
with fibrous roots which grows from 3 to 12 inches tall. It blooms from June through August producing narrow, tapering, 2 to 12 inch flower spikes. It's leaves are oval to elliptical with three veins. The bases of the leaf stalks have a reddish appearance. This characteristic in addition to paler green color, less waxy appearance, lack of hairs and toothed, irregular margins distinguishes P. rugelii from the similar and closely related Plantago major (broadleaf plantain).
and Eastern and Central United States
. It is a ruderal species
and is common on lawns and and disturbed sites.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae
Plantaginaceae
Plantaginaceae Juss. or plantain family, are a family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales. The type genus is Plantago L..In older classifications it used to be the only family of the order Plantaginales, but numerous phylogenetic studies, summarized by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, have...
). A native of North America, it is similar to the closely related Plantago major.
Description
Plantago rugelii is an erect perennial forbForb
A forb is a herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid . The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory.-Etymology:...
with fibrous roots which grows from 3 to 12 inches tall. It blooms from June through August producing narrow, tapering, 2 to 12 inch flower spikes. It's leaves are oval to elliptical with three veins. The bases of the leaf stalks have a reddish appearance. This characteristic in addition to paler green color, less waxy appearance, lack of hairs and toothed, irregular margins distinguishes P. rugelii from the similar and closely related Plantago major (broadleaf plantain).
Taxonomy
Plantago is from the Latin word for "foot print", planta. The specific name rugelii is for Ferdinand Ignatius Xavier Rugel, a 19th century German-American botanist, plant collector, and explorer.Distribution and habitat
P. rugelii is native to North America, occuring in Eastern CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Eastern and Central United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a ruderal species
Ruderal species
A ruderal species is a plant species that is first to colonize disturbed lands. The disturbance may be natural , or due to human influence – constructional , or agricultural .Ruderal species typically dominate the disturbed area...
and is common on lawns and and disturbed sites.