AusTraits

Plantago varia

Explore the data for this taxon in the portal

Family Plantaginaceae

Taxonomy: Plantago varia R.Br.

Synonyms: 6 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Plantago aff. debilis (pro parte taxonomic synonym)
  • Plantago consanguinea Decne. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Plantago intermedia Steud. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Plantago struthionis A.Cunn. ex Decne. (doubtful taxonomic synonym)
  • Plantago varia R.Br. f. varia (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Plantago varia R.Br. var. varia (nomenclatural synonym)

Distribution (APC): SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, SA eFlora, Vic Flora, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: ABRS_2022 (3), ABRS_2023 (17), ANBG_2019 (7), Angevin_2011 (5), Carey_2003 (3), Doherty_2021 (2), Draper_2023 (3), Jordan_2001 (6), Kew_2019_1 (2), Kew_2019_6 (7), Lunt_2012 (1), Mokany_2008 (67), Mokany_2015 (2), NHNSW_2014_2 (2), NHNSW_2022 (3), NHNSW_2023 (11), NSWFRD_2014 (6), RBGV_2022 (3), RBGV_2023 (15), SAH_2014 (4), SAH_2022 (4), SAH_2023 (13), Sjostrom_2006 (4), Soliveres_2012 (2), Sweedman_2006 (3), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), White_2020 (20), Williams_2005 (4), Williams_2011 (11), eFLOWER_Dun_2022 (4). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 75 traits from 237 records in 31 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
flower morphology
  • sex_type (categorical): hermaphrodite (2); monoecious (1) [sources: Jordan_2001; Sjostrom_2006]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_length (numerical): 3.28 mm (2.8-3.8 mm) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • fruit_type (categorical): capsule (5) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): dry (2) [sources: Jordan_2001; Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): dehiscent (1) [sources: Sjostrom_2006]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 1348.28 mm2 (177.6-3141.59 mm2) [sources: Angevin_2011; Mokany_2008; Mokany_2015]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 97.26 mm (6-200 mm) [sources: Mokany_2008; ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2014]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 11.87 mm (0.5-21 mm) [sources: Mokany_2008; ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2014]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 64.42 mg (27.1-121.6 mg) [sources: Mokany_2008]
  • petiole_length (numerical): 5 cm (5-5 cm) [sources: SAH_2023]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 76.18 g/m2 (35.01-108.46 g/m2) [sources: Angevin_2011; Lunt_2012; Mokany_2008]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.16 g/g (0.14-0.17 g/g) [sources: Angevin_2011; Mokany_2008]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): deltate (1); linear_elliptical (1); narrowly_elliptical (2); oblanceolate (3); oblong (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_base_shape (categorical): cuneate (1) [sources: SAH_2023]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (1); toothed (3); toothed_dentate (1) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_lobation (categorical): lobed (1); unlobed (1) [sources: SAH_2023]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (3) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2014_2; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_arrangement (categorical): crowded (1) [sources: ABRS_2023]
  • leaf_inclination_angle (numerical): 55.4 deg (30-69 deg) [sources: Mokany_2008]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (4) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c3 (3) [sources: Mokany_2008; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): herb (10) [sources: ABRS_2022; Angevin_2011; NHNSW_2022; NSWFRD_2014; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; Soliveres_2012; Wenk_2022; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • life_form (categorical): geophyte (1); hemicryptophyte (2) [sources: Mokany_2008; Williams_2005; Williams_2011]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (7) [sources: ABRS_2022; Jordan_2001; NHNSW_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; Wenk_2023; Williams_2005]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): herbaceous (5) [sources: ABRS_2022; NHNSW_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): rosette (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; SAH_2022]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (3) [sources: Mokany_2008; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • root_structure (categorical): arbuscular_mycorrhizal (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): abiotic (1); wind (1) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • pollination_system (categorical): abiotic (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): barochory (2); endozoochory (1); epizoochory (1) [sources: Draper_2023; Soliveres_2012; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • dispersers (categorical): birds (1); vertebrates (1) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • flowering_time (categorical): yynnnnnyyyyy (2); yyyyyyyyyyyy (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NSWFRD_2014; White_2020]
  • seedbank_location (categorical): soil_seedbank (1) [sources: Williams_2005]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): persistent (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): not_vegetative (1); vegetative (1) [sources: White_2020; Williams_2005]
  • clonal_spread_mechanism (categorical): non_clonal (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_buds (1); bud-bearing_root (1); rhizome (1) [sources: Carey_2003; Doherty_2021; NSWFRD_2014]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 1.4 mg (0.31-2.25 mg) [sources: ANBG_2019; Angevin_2011; Kew_2019_1; Williams_2011]
  • seed_length (numerical): 2.2 mm (1.5-3.4 mm) [sources: ANBG_2019; Jordan_2001; ABRS_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • seed_width (numerical): 1.25 mm (1.2-1.31 mm) [sources: ANBG_2019; Jordan_2001]
  • seed_shape (categorical): ellipsoid (2); ellipsoid_flattened (1); ovoid (1); ovoid_elongated (1) [sources: ABRS_2023; ANBG_2019; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Mokany_20081967K. Mokany and J. Ash. “Are traits measured on pot grown plants representative of those in natural communities?”. Journal of Vegetation Science 19 (2008), pp. 119-126. doi: 10.3170/2007-8-18340.
White_20202020M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
ABRS_20231317Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
RBGV_20231115VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
SAH_20231213S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
NHNSW_2023811N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Williams_20111111R. P. Duncan, S. E. Clemants, R. T. Corlett, A. K. Hahs, M. A. McCarthy, M. J. McDonnell, M. W. Schwartz, K. Thompson, P. A. Vesk, and N. S. G. Williams. “Plant traits and extinction in urban areas: a meta-analysis of 11 cities”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20.4 (2011), pp. 509-519. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00633.x.
ANBG_201967Australian National Botanic Gardens. The National Seed Bank. 2018. url: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/living/seedbank/.
Kew_2019_617Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Germination data from the Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Jordan_200166G. J. Jordan. “An investigation of long-distance dispersal based on species native to both Tasmania and New Zealand”. Australian Journal of Botany 49.3 (2001), pp. 333-340. doi: 10.1071/bt00024.
NSWFRD_201466B. Kenny, C. Orscheg, E. Tasker, M. A. Gill, and R. Bradstock. NSW Flora Fire Response Database, v2.1. database. NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2014.
Angevin_201155T. Angevin. “Species richness and functional trait diversity response to land use in a temperate eucalypt woodland community”. Honours. La Trobe University, 2011.
SAH_201424J. P. Jessop and H. R. Toelken. Flora of South Australia, 4th edition, 4 vols. Electronic version curated by J. Kellermann, State Herbarium of South Australia.. Government Printer, Adelaide, 1986.
SAH_202244S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
Sjostrom_200644A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
Williams_200544N. S. G. Williams, J. W. Morgan, M. J. McDonnell, and M. A. McCarthy. “Plant traits and local extinctions in natural grasslands along an urban-rural gradient”. Journal of Ecology 93.6 (2005), pp. 1203-1213. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2005.01039.x.
eFLOWER_Dun_202244L. Dun and H. Sauquet. “Unpublished: Floral traits for GAP taxa, University of New South Wales, Australia”. 2022.
ABRS_202233Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
Carey_200333A. C. &. M. E. &. P. H. &. M. L. &. T. M. &. P. O. &. S. S. &. D. S. &. N. Webb. Wildfires in the ACT 2003: Report on Initial Impacts on Natural Ecosystems. Technical Report No. 17. Environment ACT, 2003. url: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2539593/17-wildfires-in-the-act-report-on-initial-impacts-on-natural-ecosystems-2003.pdf.
Draper_202333J. T. Draper, S. Delean, J. G. Conran, P. Weinstein, and B. S. Simpson. “Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia”. Australian Journal of Botany unknown.unknown (2023), p. unknown. doi: 10.1071/BT22110.
NHNSW_202233N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
RBGV_202233VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
Sweedman_200613L. Sweedman and D. Merritt. Australian Seeds: A Guide to Their Collection, Identification, and Biology. CSIRO Publishing, 2006. ISBN: 9780643094079.
Doherty_202122M. Doherty. “Fire Severity and Plant Community Dynamics in the Australian Alps, Southeastern New South Wales”. PhD. Australian National University, 2021. url: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/224564.
Kew_2019_112Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Mokany_201522K. Mokany, J. J. Thomson, A. J. J. Lynch, G. J. Jordan, and S. Ferrier. “Linking changes in community composition and function under climate change”. Ecological Applications 25.8 (2015), pp. 2132-2141. doi: 10.1890/14-2384.1.
NHNSW_2014_222Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Soliveres_201222S. Soliveres, D. J. Eldridge, F. Hemmings, and F. T. Maestre. “Nurse plant effects on plant species richness in drylands: The role of grazing, rainfall and species specificity”. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 14 (2012), pp. 402-410. doi: 10.1016/j.ppees.2012.09.003.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Lunt_201211I. Lunt and J. Morgan. “Unpublished data: Trait data from various Morgan and Lunt projects 1990-2012, Charles Sturt & La Trobe University”. 2012.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.