Plantago himalaica Pilg.

Plantago himalaica is closely related to Plantago major in the form of leaves, scapes and spikes etc., but is distinguished by having a stipitate calyx and comparatively smaller, usually subsessile, sometimes shortly petiolate leaves. The scapes and spikes are usually shorter and the capsules never contain more than 6 seeds. In some cases only 3-4 seeds were found.

Perennial, stemless, glabrous herb with short thick, up to 2 cm long rhizomes. Leaves about 10 in rosettes, erect, rarely decumbent, very variable in shape, usually 2-6 cm long, lamina 1.5-2.5 (-3) cm broad, membranous, ovate-oval to broad ovate, 3-5-nerved, narrowed above, tapering below into a long narrow petiole, 3-4 cm, rarely up to 7 cm long, subentire, undulate to variously denticulate, Scapes 2-5, sometimes more, erect, rarely arcuate, (5-) 10-17 cm long, glabrous below slightly villous above. Spike narrow cylindrical, 2-5 cm long. Bracts 3 mm long, glabrous, concave, broad-ovate, obtuse, carina prominent. Calyx shortly and thickly stipitate; sepals 2-2.5 cm long, anterior elliptic to nearly rotundate, posterior rotundate to slightly broader than long, not narrowed upward; upper margins membranous, carina narrow, prominent. Corolla tube slightly exceeding the calyx, lobes 1.5 mm long, lanceolate-ovate to ovate, shortly narrowed upwards, obtuse. Anthers 1.75 mm long. Capsule short rotundate. Seeds up to 6.

W. Pakistan, Himalaya (Kashmir to Nepal).

Distribution: Pakistan, Kashmir and North-Western India.

2900 m

Fl.Per: July-August