Plantago lanceolata

Perennial herb.

10–50 cm high.

The scape is typically about twice as long as the leaves, straight or arcuate at the base, prominently angular at the base, and covered with appressed hairs.

The leaves form a basal rosette. The petiole is typically short. The lamina is 3–25 cm x 0.5–4.5 cm, lanceolate or nearly linear, attenuate at the base, entire or scant-toothed, typically sparse-pubescent and three-to-seven-veined.

The inflorescence is a very dense, dark brown, globose, ovoid or cylindrical spike. The calx lobes are 2.5–3 mm long, short-pubescent, fimbriate at the apex. Two of the lobes are almost entirely connate together. The corolla lobes are 1.5–2.5 mm long, rather acute, and brownish. The stamens are 3–5 mm long and protrude outwards from the corolla. The filaments are yellow-white.

The capsule is 3–4 mm long, typically two-seeded.