Plantago hedleyi is a species of flowering plant in the plant family Plantaginaceae that is endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia. Joseph Maiden described P. hedleyi in 1914. Plants of this Plantago are large with large leaves, up to nine veins, wide petioles, and long spikes with dozens of flowers and fruits with up to 5 seeds.
Taxonomy and etymology
The
botanical name honours Australian naturalist and conchologist
Charles Hedley, who helped
plant collecting the species in 1893.
Description
It is a
perennial plant herbaceous plant. The narrowly oblanceolate-elliptic
leaf are long and wide. The scape is tall. The
inflorescence is cylindrical and long.
Distribution and habitat
The species is
endemism to
Australia's
subtropical Lord Howe Island in the
Tasman Sea. It occurs in rocky sites on the upper slopes and summits of
Mount Lidgbird and
Mount Gower at the southern end of the island.
Phylogeny
In molecular phylogenetic studies focusing on Plantago species throughout the world, Plantago hedleyi was also shown to be related to other species from New Zealand and Australia, including other island endemics such as Plantago aucklandica (which is endemic to Auckland Islands, New Zealand) and Plantago stauntonii (which is endemic to Île Amsterdam).
Gallery
File:Plantago hedleyi 323507954.jpg
File:Plantago hedleyi 323507947.jpg
External links
