Flora of Israel: Plantago squarrosa (Plantago aegyptiaca)

Plantago squarrosa, Plantago aegyptiaca, Plantago aristata,
Hebrew: לחך החוף, Arabic: لسان الحمل الحرشفي

Scientific name:   Plantago squarrosa Murray
Synonym name:   Plantago aegyptiaca Jacq.; Plantago aristata Michx.
Common name:   –
Hebrew name:   לחך החוף
Arabic name:   لسان الحمل الحرشفي
Family:   Plantaginaceae, לחכיים


Life form:   Annual
Stems:   Branched, diffused, decumbent
Leaves:   Opposite, linear, entire, smooth
Inflorescence:   Spikes, solitary
Flowers:   Hermaphrodite, membranous, calycine leaves equal, green, covered with viscid hairs; petal pale; anthers brownish; style villose and white
Fruits / pods:   Homogeneous seeds-fruits
Flowering Period:   April, May
Habitat:   Sand
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands
Chorotype:   Mediterranean
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


Derivation of the botanical name:

Plantago, plantagin (stem), a “plantain”.

squarrosa, spreading horizontally; curved at the ends.
aristata, bearded, furnished with awns; bristly.
The Hebrew name: לחך, lahakh, the plantain, New Hebrew, from לחך, lahakh, was licked up, was lapped up, was eaten up.

  • The standard author abbreviation Murray is used to indicate Johan Andreas Murray (1740–1791), a Swedish botanist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Jacq. is used to indicate Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727 – 1817), Austrian botanist, was born at Leiden, in the Netherlands
  • The standard author abbreviation Michx. is used to indicate André Michaux (1746 – 1803), a French botanist and explorer.