Plantain

Perennial plant, 20 to 40 cm tall.

Leaves

The basal leaves, broadly oval to elliptical, smooth or slightly downy, are arranged in a rosette. Their veins are parallel; the leaves are thick, elastic and fibrous.

Flowers

The leafless, unridged flower stalk, barely as tall as the leaves or taller, bears at its tip a cylindrical spike, a little loose at the base; this inflorescence gives it the common name “rat's tail”.

Fruit

The fruit is a capsule with 8 to 16 small, angular, dark seeds.

Roots

The plant grows from a short rootstock that bears many fibrous roots.