Description: This adventive perennial plant consists
of a rosette of basal leaves and one or more flowering stalks. The basal leaves
are up to 12" long and 1" across, but more commonly about half this size. They
are
broadly linear and
smooth along the margins, being broadest toward the middle and tapering toward
their tips and the base of the plant. There are 3-5 parallel veins along the
length of each leaf. The leaves are glabrous to sparsely hairy; there are
usually a few hairs along the central vein on the underside of each leaf. The
narrow flowering stalks are devoid of leaves and about 6-18" tall. They are
often slightly furrowed or angular, and there are scattered hairs on the stalks
toward the base of the plant. Each stalk terminates in an oblongoid spike of
flowers about ½–2" long. The small flowers are densely crowded
together in whorls all along this spike. During the bud stage, this spike is
green and bluntly conical at its apex, but it becomes light brown and
cylindrical as the flowers bloom from the bottom to the top. Each flower has 4
sepals, a short corolla with 4 spreading lobes, and some papery bracts
underneath. The strongly exerted stamens are the most conspicuous feature of
the flowers, which have large white anthers on slender filaments. The blooming
period occurs intermittently from late spring to early fall and can last
several months for a population of plants in a given locale. The flowers are
wind-pollinated and they have no floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a
small seed capsule that is ovoid or oblongoid; it splits cleanly and evenly in
the lower half to release 2 small seeds. Each seed is oblongoid, dark brown or
black, and strongly indented on one side. The root system consists of a shallow
crown of coarse fibrous roots. This plant spreads primarily by reseeding
itself.
Cultivation: Typical growing
conditions are full sunlight and a mesic to dry soil that is somewhat heavy and
contains clay. This plant also occurs partial sunlight (in which case the
foliage becomes somewhat taller and larger) and other kinds of soil. It
withstands regular mowing and some trampling.
Range & Habitat: English Plantain is a common
plant that occurs in every county of Illinois (see
Distribution
Map). It is native to Eurasia. Habitats include lawns, cracks in pavement,
vacant lots, fallow fields, and roadsides. It prefers disturbed areas and has
not invaded natural areas to any significant extent.
Faunal Associations: Because the flowers are
wind-pollinated, they attract few insects. Sometimes bees collect pollen from
the anthers, but such visits are uncommon. The caterpillars of several moths
feed on the foliage of Plantago spp. (Plantains). See the
Moth Table for a list of these
species. Also, the caterpillars of the butterfly Junonia coenia
(Buckeye) feed on the foliage of Plantains. The seeds are eaten by the
Grasshopper Sparrow and possibly other granivorous songbirds. The Cottontail
Rabbit, White-Tailed Deer, and cattle occasionally eat the foliage, even though
it is rather bitter and stringy. Because the seeds become sticky when wet, they
can cling to shoes and the bottoms of feet. Thus, humans and various animals
help to spread the seeds into new areas.
Photographic Location: A vacant lot in Urbana,
Illinois, where a gas station used to be located.
Comments: English Plantain fits the public's
stereotype of a weed pretty well; it is quite common in lawns. There are
several plantain species in Illinois, both native and adventive. Compared to
many other plantains, English Plantain has leaves that are more narrow and
flowering spikes that are shorter. For example, its leaves are more narrow than
the broad-leaved plantains, Plantago rugelii and Plantago major,
and its flowering spikes are shorter than than other narrow-leaved plantains,
such as Plantago virginica and Plantago aristata. The adventive
species Plantago media (Hoary Plantain) is quite similar in appearance
to English Plantain, but its flowering spikes are more narrowly cylindrical and
its leaves a little wider than those of the latter. However, Hoary Plantain
apparently doesn't occur in Illinois.