Plantago ovata Calflora

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Taxon Report

Plantago ovata Forssk.

Desert indianwheat, Desert plantain, Woolly plantain

Plantago ovata is an annual herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in western North America.


	Plant Range Observation Search ~2265 records in California Plant Characteristics

Bloom Period

Photos on Calflora


Subspecies and Varieties:
... var. fastigiata ... var. insularis
Genus:	Plantago
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Category:	angiosperm
PLANTS group:	Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Habitat: coastal

Communities: Coastal Strand, Coastal Sage Scrub, Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS

Alternate Names:


PLANTS	Plantago brunnea
PLANTS	Plantago fastigiata
PLANTS	Plantago gooddingii
PLANTS	Plantago insularis var. fastigiata
PLANTS	Plantago insularis var. scariosa
More …

Information about Plantago ovata from other sources


Nursery availability from CNPLX This plant is available commercially. Jepson eFlora USDA PLANTS Profile (PLOV) Photos on Calflora Photos on CalPhotos Google Images Photos on iNaturalist ID Tips on PlantID.net	ITIS Original Publication citation International Plants Names Index Search efloras.org (Flora of North America) Landscape information from Calscape BONAP Distribution Map Consortium of California Herbaria 2 Search the Native American Ethnobotany Database	Add an Observation Location Suitability Planting Guide Distribution by County
[Wikipedia] Psyllium Source: It is a common source of psyllium, a type of dietary fiber. Psyllium seed husks are indigestible and are a source of soluble fiber which may be fermented into butyric acid - a short-chain fatty acid - by butyrate-producing bacteria. Plantago ovata is the most popular source for commercial products containing psyllium. (link added by Mary Ann Machi) photos / record / common / links

Suggested Citation

Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/ (Accessed: 03/29/2025).