Family: plantains (Plantaginaceae)
Flowering time: May–July
Size: 20–50 cm
Habitat: meadows, sunny rocky slopes
Narrow-lanceolate leaves of the silver plantain (Plantago argentea) form a basal leaf rosette. Young leaves, gradually tapering into the petiole, are initially silky-haired on the underside, then become hairless. Leaves are about 1.5 cm wide. At the top of the erect, rounded stem develops a densely flowered oval inflorescence. Flowers are tiny. Petals are papery, translucent. The stamens are snow-white.
The silver plantain grows on barren, dry soils of karst grasslands. Its distribution area in Slovenia is limited to the southwestern part of the country; in the rest of Slovenia it does not grow or is extremely rare. When identifying the silver plantain we must be careful, as it looks very similar to the narrow-leaved plantain (Plantago lanceolata), which, however, tends to thrive on more fertile soils.
