Plantago afra L. (P. psyllium auct.) (Medit.) – A rare and usually ephemeral alien. Apparently first documented in 1884 from Leuze. Soon afterwards also recorded in Diest (1885-86) and Modave (1894; in fallow fields). In the past decades regularly observed and nearly always associated with cereals (Verloove & Vandenberghe 1998), for instance in Turnhout (1978), the Ghent port area (1997-1998) and the Antwerp port area (2011-2014). In 2012 also seen in abundance (+1000 plants) in a railway yard near Liège (île Monsin), without obvious vector of introduction.
Plantago afra has long been confused with P. arenaria in Belgium, nearly all early collections being erroneously ascribed to the latter. Both are very similar in habit but are easily told apart on floral bract characters and presence/absence of glandular hairs.
In most instances, Plantago afra obviously is a mere ephemeral alien, occurring in small number on unloading quays and on rough ground near grain mills. However, in Liège it looks as if it is, at least temporarily, established.
A very similar species, Plantago exigua Juss. ex Murray, a native from West Asia, has been recorded in the British Isles (Clement & Foster 1994) and may have been overlooked.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Selected literature:
Andrzejewska Golec E. (1992) A taxonomic study of Plantago subgenus Psyllium (Miller) Harms. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 108(1): 49-53.
Andrzejewska Golec E. & Swietoslawski J. (1993) Hair anatomy in Plantago subg. Psyllium (Plantaginaceae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 184(1-2): 113-123.
Chrtek J. (2000) Psyllium L. In: Slavík B. (ed.), Květena ČR 6. Academia, Praha: 546-548.
Clement E.J. & Foster M.C. (1994) Alien plants of the British Isles. BSBI, London: XVIII + 590 p.
Karthikeyan S. & Kumar A. (1982) Miscellaneous notes.: 33. Record of Plantago afra Linn. (Plantaginaceae) from Maharashtra. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 79(1): 228-230.
Kimstra-Sinnema J.G. (1965) Overzicht der in Nederland gevonden inheemse en adventieve Plantago-soorten. Gorteria 2: 129-135.
Kloos A.W. (1919) Aanwinsten van de Nederlandsche Flora in 1917 en 1918. Nederlandsch Kruidkundig Archief 1919: 77-104.
Lewalle J. (1981) Note sur les variétés de Plantago (subgen. Psyllium) afra L. Soc. Ech. Pl. Vasc. Eur. Occid. Bassin Medit. Bull. 18: 81-82.
Panigrahi G. (1975) A Note on Plantago exigua (Plantaginaceae) and Certain Related Taxa. Kew Bull. 30(4): 669-673.
Shipunov A.B. (2000) Species generum Plantago L. et Psyllium Mill (Plantaginaceae) in flora Europae orientalis (in Russian). Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 32: 139-152. [available online at: http://ashipunov.info/shipunov/plantago/pl_rew.pdf]
Verloove F. & Vandenberghe C. (1998) Nieuwe en interessante voederadventieven voor de Belgische flora, hoofdzakelijk in 1997. Dumortiera 72: 18-36. [available online at: http://alienplantsbelgium.be/sites/alienplantsbelgium.be/files/dum72p18.pdf]