Buck's-horn Plantain - introduced (*Plantago coronopus)

Family: Plantaginaceae (Plantain family).

Native of the Mediterranean region and south-west Asia.

Occurrence: A widespread and common weed, growing on footpaths, roadsides and weedy areas. It is an environmental weed.

Identification:

• it has small flowers clustered into a dense, narrow, cylindrical flower cluster
• the leaves are in a basal rosette
• the leaves usually have long teeth
• the leaves narrow towards the base.

Buck’s-horn Plantain may be an annual or perennial.

Similar species: There are several native and several other introduced plantains. Buck’s-horn Plantain can be distinguished by its prominently toothed leaves, and the dense cylindrical flower clusters.

Photos 1: The leaves usually have prominent teeth.
2: Two Buck’s-horn Plantains growing on a gravel foot path.