Depressed plantain (Plantago depressa, Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol., Suppl.: 8 (1814))

Family: Plantaginaceae

Author: Willd.

Bibliography: Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol., Suppl.: 8 (1814)

Year: 1814

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Plantago

Vegetable: False

Observations: SE. European Russia to Korea and W. Himalaya

Description

The Depressed Plantain, scientifically known as Plantago depressa, is a fascinating and resilient plant belonging to the Plantaginaceae family. This species was first thoroughly cataloged by the botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow in his comprehensive inventory, “Enumeratio Plantarum Horti Berolinensis,” which includes a notable supplement published in 1814.

Plantago depressa is native to a wide geographical range that spans from Southeastern European Russia across to Korea and extends into the Western Himalayas. This vast distribution highlights the plant’s adaptability to various climates and soil conditions, making it a subject of interest for botanists and ecologists alike.

Characterized by its rosette of leaves that lay close to the ground, the Depressed Plantain’s growth habit allows it to thrive in diverse environments. The leaves are typically broad and flat, which helps minimize water loss in arid regions while also protecting the plant from extreme temperatures.

In addition to its ecological versatility, Plantago depressa holds cultural and medicinal significance in various regions within its range. Traditionally, parts of the plant have been used in folk medicine for their purported healing properties. However, its primary recognition remains within botanical circles for its unique morphology and wide habitat range.

Overall, the Depressed Plantain (Plantago depressa) exemplifies a botanical specimen with extensive adaptability and a rich history documented by early botanical authorities like Willdenow, making it an enduring subject of study and appreciation.

Common Names

Eng: depressed plantain
En: Depressed plantain
Zh: Che qian cao, Ping che qian

Synonyms

• Plantago sibirica (Poir.)
• Plantago depressa f. minor (Kom.)
• Plantago depressa f. magnibracteata (Tosh.Tanaka & T.K.Zheng)
• Plantago depressa f. glaberrima (Kom.)
• Plantago tibetica (Hook.f. & Thomson)
• Plantago depressa var. montana (Kitag.)
• Plantago depressa subsp. turczaninowii ((Ganesch.) Tzvelev)
• Plantago depressa var. turczaninowii (Ganesch.)
• Plantago depressa var. eudepressa (Ganesch.)
• Plantago asiatica var. decumbens (Turcz.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Altay (native)
• Amur (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Chita (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Kamchatka (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Khabarovsk (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Korea (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Magadan (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Mongolia (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Primorye (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)

Additional Images

Fruit

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Habit

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Flower

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 20, 2017 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Hiroshi Ikeda (cc-by-nc)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/7303063)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:685094-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Plantago depressa Willd.)

Specifications

Growth