Plantago ovata – “Blond Plantain”

Also Known As: Desert Plantain, Indian Plaintain, Woolly Plantain, Desert Indianwheat, Blond Psyllium, Ispagol, Blond Ispagul
Family: Plantain (Plantaginaceae)
Bloom Period: Jan-Apr
Form: Annual
Habitat: Gravelly and sandy soils, disturbed places
Leaves: Rosette of long, narrow leaves covered in fuzzy hairs
Translation: “Plantago” is Latin for “footprint” because members of this genus can thrive in compact soils like found on paths; “ovata” is Latin for round, but not sure what this is referring to.
Notes: This plant is common in Asia and some sources claim it is a recently introduced species (post-Columbus), but molecular analysis shows it arrived 200,000-650,000 years ago.
Native American Uses: The Pima ate the seeds for food and made a cold tea of them to treat diarrhea
Animal relationships: Eaten by Desert Tortoise and Desert Iguana.