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Plantago major L.

Overview
General Information
ID Info
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Aperçu
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Family :

Famille :

Plantaginaceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Plantago major var. pachyphylla Pilger (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003; ITIS 2023)
P. major var. pilgeri Domin (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003; ITIS 2023)
P. major var. scopulorum Fries & Broberg. (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003; ITIS 2023)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Broad-leaved plantain

(English) (Darbyshire 2003)
Plantain majeur (French) (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003; Wiersema & León 2016)
Broadleaf plantain (English) (Wiersema & León 2016; CABI 2023; ITIS 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)
Common plantain (English) (FNA 1993+; Wiersema & León 2016; CABI 2023; ITIS 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)
Da che qian大车前 (Chinese) (FOC 1994+)
Llantén (Spanish) (CABI 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)
Tanchagem-maior (Portuguese) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2023)
Breitwegerich (German) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2023)

Plantago major seeds

  • Plantago major seeds

  • Plantago major (broad-leaved plantain) seeds

  • Plantago major (broad-leaved plantain) seed; hilum view

  • Plantago major immature capsule and developing seeds

  • Plantago major capsules and seeds

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Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

    Regulation Notes:

    Distribution :

    Répartition :

    Plantago major is distributed worldwide, and reported as an agricultural weed in 50 countries (Holm et al. 1991). It is native to Europe and Asia, and may be native to North America north of 50 degrees latitude (Hawthorn 1984). The species occurs throughout North America (FNA 1993+; Brouillet 2010+) with the possible exception of Nunavut in northern Canada (FNA 1993+). P. major may be a mixture of native and introduced populations in North America (Hawthorn 1974).

    Habitat and Crop Association :

    Habitat et Cultures Associées :

    Plantago major is native to temperate climates but has been introduced to tropical agricultural areas (Holm et al. 1991). Along with cultivated land, the species grows along shores, stream banks, roadsides, and other disturbed areas (Sagar and Harper 1964; Hawthorn 1984; FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003). P. major is tolerant of compacted and waterlogged soils in tracks, pastures, lawns, and urban areas (Sagar and Harper 1964; Hawthorn 1984; Holm et al. 1991).

    P. major is listed as an agricultural weed in 26 crops, including Medicago sativa (alfalfa), Zea mays subsp. mays (corn), Avena sativa (oats), Coffea spp. (coffee), Oryza sativa (rice); Allium cepa (onions), Gossypium spp. (cotton), cereals and orchards (Hawthorn 1984; Holm et al. 1991).

    Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

    Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

    Duration of Life Cycle :

    Durée du cycle vital:

    Annual or perennial

    Dispersal Unit Type :

    Type d’unité de dispersion :

    Seed

    General Information

    RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

    Plantago major has been associated with human activity for hundreds to thousands of years; seeds have been found with human remains dated from the 3rd to 5th century A.D. (Holm et al. 1991). It is believed that the species moved quickly into new areas as a crop seed contaminant and transported with goods and machinery.

    Authors have estimated seed production of P. major from a low of 3-5 to a high of 22-35 seeds per capsule (Sagar and Harper 1964; Hawthorn 1974; Holm et al. 1991). Seeds per plant have been estimated at 565 (Hawthorn 1974) up to 14000 seeds (Holm et al. 1991). Seed can retain viability after 50-60 years in soil, but germination is low; estimates are 10% after 20-40 years (Sagar and Harper 1964; Hawthorn 1974). Seeds fall from the fruiting spike by animals or wind, and are transported further by wet seeds sticking to soil, machinery, fur or feathers (Hawthorn 1974; Holm et al. 1991).

    P. major has been divided into 2 subspecies by European authors: P. major subsp. major and P. major subsp. intermedia (Ackeroyd and Doogue 1988; Morgan-Richards and Wolff 1999), but it is not known if these subspecies also occur in North America (FNA 1993+).

    The two subspecies of P. major are distinguished primarily by the number of seeds per capsule; P. major subsp. major with generally 2-15 seeds and P. major subsp. intermedia with 13-25 seeds (Sagar and Harper 1964; Ackeroyd and Doogue 1988; Morgan-Richards and Wolff 1999). P. major subsp. major plants are larger with wide leaves, larger seeds and a longer lifespan than P. major subsp. intermedia (Ackeroyd and Doogue 1988; Morgan-Richards and Wolff 1999). The subspecies also occur in different habitats, P. major subsp. intermedia often in cultivated fields or seasonally flooded habitats, and P. major subsp. major along foot paths and rough ground. A third subspecies with intermediate morphology, P. major subsp. winteri, has been recognized in the Flora Europaea, but it is not yet known if it is a new subspecies (Ackeroyd and Doogue 1988).

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    Identification

    Identification

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    • Capsule

      Size

      • Capsule length from literature:
        • (2–)4–5 mm (FNA 1993+)
        • 3 mm (Holm et al. 1991)
        • 4-5 mm (Hawthorn 1974)
        • 5 mm (Sagar and Harper 1964)

      Shape

      • Capsule oval or egg-shaped

      Surface Texture

      • Capsule surface smooth

      Colour

      • Capsule brown coloured when mature
      • Capsules green or reddish when immature

      Other Features

      • Capsule opens near the middle (Hawthorn 1984)
      • Capsule base generally remains attached to the stem
      • Closed capsules may be shed from the plant with the seeds still inside

      Plantago major capsules and seeds

    <
    >

    • Seed

      Size

      • Seed size: length*: 0.9 – 1.7 mm; width: 0.6 – 0.9 mm
      *Note: minimum and maximum of 20 seeds in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)

      Seed size from literature:
      • Length: 1.5 mm; width 0.8 mm (Sagar and Harper 1964)
      • Length: 0.5- 1.5 mm (Hawthorn 1974)
      • Length: 1-1.5 mm (Holm et al. 1991)
      • Length: 0.5–1 mm (FNA 1993+)

      Shape

      • Seed shape generally polygonal, compressed, plano-convex in 3D
      • Seeds may be slightly twisted along either the longitudinal or transverse axis or both
      • Shape may vary from oval to polygonal depending on the number of seeds in the capsule (Sagar and Harper 1964)

      Surface Texture

      • Seed surface with thin ridges radiating from the hilum, and longitudinal ridges on the side opposite the hilum
      • Hilum is a round depression in the middle of one side of the seed
      • Seeds produce mucilage when wetted

      Colour

      • Seeds shiny light brown, dark brown or greenish brown, rarely black coloured

      Other Features

      • Seed shape dependant on how many seeds in a capsule; a higher density results in more angular seeds

      Plantago major seeds

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    >

    • Embryo

      Size

      • Embryo fills the seed

      Shape

      • Embryo spatulate shaped (Martin 1946)

      Endosperm

      • Hard, translucent yellow coloured, slightly oily

      Other Features

      • Embryo in axial position

    Identification Tips

    CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

    Seeds of most Plantago species are generally oval shaped, with one side strongly convex and the other concave with the hilum. The hilum is round and generally covered in white tissue. Plantago major seeds are a non-typical plano-convex shape, and can also be identified by a radiating pattern of thin ridges on the seed surface.

    Plantago major (broad-leaved plantain) seed; hilum view

    Additional Botany Information

    AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

    Flowers/Inflorescence

    • Flowers sessile, arranged into a long spike, length: (1-)10-15(-30) cm (Sagar and Harper 1964)
    • Flowers 2-4 mm in diameter, light yellow, petals triangular shaped and spreading or curved, each subtended by bracts
    • Stamens purple (Sagar and Harper 1964)
    • Sepal length: 1.5–2 mm (Hawthorn 1974)
    • Bract length: 0.5-1 mm, generally pointed at tip, brown with a green central keel (Sagar and Harper 1964; Hawthorn 1974)

    Vegetative Features

    • Plants with a short stem, length up to 20 mm (FNA 1993+)
    • Leaf length: 20–150(–400) mm; width: 10–120(–170) mm (FNA 1993+)
    • Leaves are generally egg-shaped, glabrous or short-hairy with smooth or toothed edges and a long petiole length up to 200 mm (Hawthorn 1974)

    Plantago major plant.

    Similar Species

    ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES

    Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.

     

    Plantago rugelii Decne.

    P. rugelii is native to eastern North America, preferring shaded areas with nutrient rich soils. Confusion with P. major has obscured distribution history, but is believed to have expanded after European settlement (Hawthorn 1974).

    The seeds of P. rugelii are larger (length:* 1.5 – 2.6 mm; width: 0.9 – 1.1 mm), generally 4-9 per capsule and the surface texture is finely wrinkled compared to thin ridges on the surface of P. major seeds (Hawthorn 1974). A light brown or yellow longitudinal stripe may be seen in some seeds.

     

    Plantago asiatica L.

    P. asiatica is found in temperate and tropical Asia, growing in disturbed areas, cultivated fields, riverbanks and mountain slopes (eFloras 2023). It was considered to be a synonym of P. major, but molecular studies support separate species (eFloras 2023).

    Seeds are generally larger (length: 1.2-2 mm, eFloras 2023) and are thinner in profile compared to P. major. The surface ridges are in a similar pattern, but they are thinner and not as visible as P. major seeds.

    *Note: minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)

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    Reference(s)

    Référence(s)

    Ackeroyd, J.R. and Doogue, D. 1988. Plantago major subsp. intermedia (DC.) Arcangeli (Plantaginaceae) in Ireland. The Irish Naturalists’ Journal 22: 441-
    443.

    Brouillet, L., Coursol, F., Meades, S. J., Favreau, M., Anions, M., Bélisle, P. and Desmet, P. 2010+. VASCAN, the database of vascular plants of Canada. http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/ Accessed April 12, 2023.

    Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). 2023. Invasive Species Compendium, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. Accessed November 01, 2023.

    Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.

    eFloras. 2023. Electronic Floras. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA., http://www.efloras.org Accessed April 12, 2023.

    Flora of China (FOC) 1994+. Plantago major Vol. 19 Page 497 (English edition). http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200022050 Accessed November 01, 2023.

    Flora of North America (FNA) Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. New York and Oxford. http://beta.floranorthamerica.org. Accessed April 12, 2023.

    Hawthorn, W.R. 1974. The biology of Canadian weeds. 4. Plantago major and P. rugelii. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 54: 383-396.

    Holm, L.G., Plucknett, D.L., Pancho, J.V. and Herberger, J.P. 1991. World Weeds: Distribution and Biology. Krieger Publishing Company, Florida. 609 pp.

    Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2023. https://www.itis.gov/ Accessed November 01, 2023.

    International Seed Morphology Association (ISMA). 2020. Method for Seed Size Measurement. Version 1.0. ISMA Publication Guide.

    Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. The American Midland Naturalist 36: 513-660.

    Morgan-Richards, M. and Wolff, K. 1999. Genetic structure and differentiation of Plantago major reveals a pair of sympatric sister species. Molecular Ecology 8: 1027–1036.

    Sagar, G.R. and Harper, J.L. 1964. Plantago major L., P. media L. and P. lanceolata L. Journal of Ecology 52: 189-221.

    U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2023. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch Accessed November 01, 2023.

    Wiersema, John, H. and Blanca León. 2016. World Economic Plants. Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (2nd Edition). Taylor & Francis.

    Author(s)

    AUTEUR(S)

    Jennifer Neudorf, Angela Salzl, Ruojing Wang

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency

     

    contactus@idseed.org

    Last updated
    on 2023-03-27

    © 2024 ISMA - International Seed Morphology Association