Plantago argyraea

Plant: Annual herb; to 30 cm tall Leaves: without distinct petiole; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, 2.4-17.4 cm long, 0.2-0.5 cm wide, acute to acuminate at apex, densely villous (rarely woolly), distinctly 3-veined below, with entire margins INFLORESCENCE: pedunculate, scapose, long or short spikes, loose to dense; PEDUNCLES 5-26 cm long, hirsute, with most hairs appressed-ascending. SPIKES 1-9.5 cm long, interrupted at maturity; bracts broadly triangular, 2-3 mm long, about as long as sepals, scarious-margined at base or to near middle, sparsely to densely villous, with tufts of white hairs in axils, with midvein ciliate Flowers: 1-9.5 cm long, interrupted at maturity; bracts broadly triangular, 2-3 mm long, about as long as sepals, scarious-margined at base or to near middle, sparsely to densely villous, with tufts of white hairs in axils, with midvein ciliate. FLOWERS perfect; sepals obovate, 2.3-3 mm long, scarious-margined, villous; corolla lobes spreading or reflexed, broadly ovate, 1.6-2.3 mm long; stamens 4 Fruit: capsule breaking at or slightly below middle; SEEDS 2, narrowly elliptic, ca. 2.5 mm long, ca. 1.2 mm wide, dark brown to black, the inner surface concave, the rim thin, the outer surface finely pitted but lacking distinct rows Misc: Common in dry pinyon-juniper and pine forests; 1800-2650 m (6000-8800 ft); Jun-Sep REFERENCES: Huisinga, Kristin D. and Tina J. Ayers. 1999. Plantaginaceae. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 32(1).