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Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Annual Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)

General: Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata) is a small annual forb that has 2-4 (8) inch long, linear leaves that grow from the base. The inflorescence is a short stem with a cylindrical or spherical mass of bracts harboring tiny whitish, 4-part flowers. Leaves and flowering stalks covered with long hairs, with hairs going in all directions.

Desert Indianwheat is a common, often abundant component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained sandy and gravelly soils on desert flats and bajadas into the lower mountains in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones. Around Las Vegas, look for Desert Indianwheat everywhere in desert habitat, but look closely.

A similar species, Woolly Plantain, looks similar to Desert Indianwheat, but Woolly Plantain has ascending hairs on the peduncle and bracts that stick out from below each flower.

Family: Plantain (Plantaginaceae)

Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flowering stems hairy, with hairs going in all directions

Plant Form: Annual. Small tuft of leaves with short, upright flowering stalks

Height: To about 6 inches.

Stems: None (excluding flowering stalks)

Leaves: Nearly linear to slightly oblong, entire, with long hairs

Flowers: Inflorescence: peduncle to about 8 inches with woolly hairs (hairs not straight and project in all directions. Flower spike to about 1.5 inches, cylindric. Flower: Petals 4, small, corolla lobes spreading, to about 3 mm, bract not exserted.

Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Fresh flowers

Seeds: Cylindrical with rounded ends, relatively large (2 mm).

Habitat: Dirt and rocky soils, sometimes in sandy soils.

Elevation: Below about 3,000 ft.

Distribution: Desert southwest from California to Texas

Comment: For Desert Tortoises, this is like candy -- they love it. For such a small plant, it produces many relatively large seeds and provides an important food source for desert tortoise, desert iguana, and other vegetarian creatures.

Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Nothing to see here? Look more closely ...
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Nothing to see here? Look more closely ...
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
The ground is covered with Desert Indianwheat in bloom
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
The ground is covered with Desert Indianwheat in bloom
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata) Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
A tuft of leaves growing from the ground
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
One, stout root
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Leaves hairy, hairs projecting in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Leaves hairy, hairs projecting in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Leaves hairy, hairs projecting in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Leaves hairy, hairs projecting in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Stems hairy, with hairs going in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Stems hairy, with hairs going in all directions
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flower stalks stand above the tuft of leaves
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flower stalks stand above the tuft of leaves
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Desert Indianwheat flowerheads
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flower spike to about 1.5 inches, cylindric, flowers densely packed
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flowers in four parts, petals pointed
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Fresh flowers
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Flowers
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Fresh flowers
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Desert Indianwheat seeds
Desert Indianwheat (Plantago ovata)
Desert Indianwheat seeds

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 240727

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