Plantago coronopus
Common name
buck’s horn plantain
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
PLACOR
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Extensively naturalised in coastal areas. common around lowland lakes inland, in waste places and other modified areas.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland).
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Features
Annual or perennial herb with persistent taproot. Leaves all radical, 120 x 5 mm with 1-4 pairs of lobes or teeth. Flowering stem up to 45 cm long, usually clothed in hairs, cylindrical spike contains many flowers. Capsule up to 2 mm long, usually containing 4 small pinkish-brown seeds.
Similar taxa
P. coronopis is a very variable species in New Zealand. Can be distinguished by the combination of the radical leaves with lobes or teeth, and the scape with many flowers.
Flowering
July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
Year naturalised
1873
Origin
Europe, W. Asia
Etymology
plantago: Old Latin name for flat-leaved plants
Reason For Introduction
Accidental
Reproduction
Seed.
Seed
seed is produced.
Dispersal
Soil movement, people.
Tolerances
Highly salt tolerant.