| Plantago indica L. / Heterotypic Synonyms: Plantago arenaria Waldst. & Kit., it is an annual herb. Stems usually 20-30 (-60) cm tall, loosely covered with short glandular hairs, branches axillary. Leaves opposite, flat, up to 6 (-8) cm long, (2-) 3-4 mm broad, narrow-linear to linear-lanceolate, attenuated upwards, apices obtuse, entire to rarely slightly dentate. Inflorescence opposite in the axils of the upper leaves. Peduncles 5-6 cm long, sub patent. Spikes dense, many flowered, 1-1.5 (-1.75) cm long, ovate-elliptic. Lower parts of the two lower most bracts rotundate-ovate, up to 4 mm long, then abruptly contracted and produced in to a narrow, thick, 4-6 mm rarely to 10 mm long acuminate upper part, covered with long white, glandular hairs; upper bracts very distinct from the lower ones, rotundate ovate to obovate, apices nearly truncate. Sepals 3.5-4 mm long, anterior concave, oblique elliptic-ovate to obovate, near the base narrow cuneate, obtuse, covered dorsally with short glandular hairs; posterior concave, ovate-lanceolate, short ciliate, dorsally covered on the keel by short, hard hairs. Corolla lobes 2 mm long, narrow-ovate, acute. Seeds 2.5-2.75 mm long, light reddish-brown, shining, narrow-elliptic. Life Form: Th, Flowering in: Feb-Mar, Vern: Asloug, Phytochoria: ES+MED+IT, The native range of this species is Europe to Siberia and Iran, N. Africa. Notes: Wild in Libya, medicinal plant.
For more information: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:685262-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/685262-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000478468, https://www.gbif.org/species/3189763, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/150780/plantago-arenaria-waldst-kit, https://www.preservons-la-nature.fr/flore/taxon/872.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_indica |
| Distribution in Libya | ||
| Al-Jafarah Plain | Zliten-Misurata Plain | Sirte Plains |
| Wadi El-Migenin 1974 (15 km) from Bengashir 1976 | Misurata to Bugrain 1970 Leptus Megna 2004 Misurata 2008, 2015 | Gulf of Sirte, between Misurata and Bugrain 1970 |
| Jabal Nafusa | Al-Jabal Al-Akhder | Marmarica Plateau |
| Ain Rumia, Tarhuna 1975 Sharshara 1976 Msallata (Shaafeen) 2008 Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013 Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020 Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020 | El-Hamamah to Biada 2003 | Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002 |
| Bibliographic references: | |
| First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan: | |
| Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1979) Flora of Libya, Plantaginaceae Vol. (67) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. | |
| Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest: | pdf files |
| Saaed, M.W.B., EL-Barasi, Y.M. & Rahil, R.O. (2021) An updated checklist and quantitative analysis of the Marmarica Plateau flora, in the north-eastern part of Libya. Phytotaxa 509 (1): 001-055. https://www.mapress.com/j/pt/, https://www.biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/view/phytotaxa.509.1.1 | An updated Marmarica Plateau flora 2021 |
| El-Ahmir, S.M., Mahklouf, M.H., Shanta, M.B., Abo-Jaafer, H.A. (2020) Floristic Study of Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan District-Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology. Volume 8 / Issue 1. ISSN: 2348-7313. https://bit.ly/3VkL3Kh, https://scienceq.org/floristic-study-of-sedrores-mountains-in-gharyan-district-libya.php | Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan 2020 |
| Mahklouf, M.H., Sherif, A.S., Betelmal, A.G. (2020) Floristic Study and Species Diversity of Msallata-Garaboulli Province in Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology Volume 7 / Issue 3 ISSN: 2348-7313. Journal homepage: http://scienceq.org/Journals/JABZ.php, https://bit.ly/3LgL0KQ, https://scienceq.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/JABZV7I304.pdf | Msallata-Garaboulli Province in Libya 2020 |
| Aljarroushi, M.M. & Almedham, K.E. (2015) Natural plant cover composition in Misurata area, Libya. Assiut Journal for Environmental Studies-42nd issue-July 2015. (In Arabic) | |
| Al-Masalati, N. A. A. (2013) Plant diversity across the altitudes of the Msallata National Park Reserve Mountains. Master Thesis. Botany Department-College of Science-University of Benghazi-Libya. (In Arabic) | |
| Baayo, Kh. A. (2008): Floristic composition and Phytochorological Analysis of Misratah area, Libya, Assiut Univ.J. of Botany 37(2), P-P. 33-78 (2008) | |
| Mohammed, S.A.H. (2008) A taxonomic and ecological study of the plants of the Shaafin Reserve in Masalatah. Master Thesis. Department of Biology-Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Al-Mirqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic) | |
| El-Komati, A. F. (2004) Medicinal plants in the Shapiat of Marqab, their distribution, classification and importance. Master Thesis. Biology Department- Faculty of Science-Al-Marqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic) | |
| Al-Sodany, Y. M., Shehata, M. N. & Shaltout, K. H. (2003): Vegetation along an elevation gradient in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. ecologia mediterranea, tome 29, fascicule 2, 2003, p. 125-138. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yassin-Al-Sodany, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kamal-Shaltout | Vegetation an elevation in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar 2003 |
| El-Shaary M.S. (2002). The Natural Vegetation in Marmarica plateau (North-eastern Libya). First ed. Tobruk (Libya): Published by the local Authority. (In Arabic) |
