Straightening up

As each little stalk of Heller’s plantain matures, it straightens up and develops flowers. I photographed this flowering Plantago helleri stalk on April 9 in a wildflower meadow in my northwest Austin neighborhood. The inflorescence that you see here was about an inch long. Still cute.

© 2012 Steven Schwartzman

Heller’s plantain

Click for greater clarity, especially in the small hairs.

Do you remember how the little wildflower called silverpuff is fuzzy and leans over when it first appears? Well, in central Texas we have another diminutive plant, Heller’s plantain, Plantago helleri, that’s also downy and arcs over when it’s new. I photographed this soft and curving Heller’s plantain shoot on March 27 at Pedernales Falls State Park, some 50 miles west of Austin. Cute, isn’t it?

© 2012 Steven Schwartzman