Common Name

Sago Weed, Clay Plantain

Family

Plantaginaceae

Notes

Annual forb to 20cm tall. Leaves in a basal rosette, 2-15cm long, 2-25mm wide, flat, hairy, margins entire, toothed, or lobed. Flowers small (less than 3mm across), tubular, with 4 tiny white 'petals', in cylindrical spikes on stalks arising from the base of the plant.

Differs from Plantago drummondii, Plantago turrifera, and Plantago varia and in that the 'seeds' are 2.5-3 (rarely 3.5) mm long, and are pear shaped with a distinct beak. Needs at least a hand lens to see.

Description and photo (page 617) and line drawing of 'seeds' (Fig. 62b) in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales

PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Plantago~cunninghamii