Variable-leaf Indian Plantain - Arnoglossum diversifolium

Variable-leaf Indian plantain (Arnoglossum diversifolium) is another one of the six Indian plantains native to Florida and one of the tallest.  Although this perennial dies back to the ground in winter, it quickly reaches its mature height of up to 10 feet by early summer.  Native to six central Panhandle counties and two in north Florida, it also is vouchered from Alabama and Georgia. Throughout this rather limited region is occurs in swamps, wet hardwood hammocks, openings in floodplain forests over limestone with clayey, basic soils and a canopy of hardwood trees and bald cypress.  

As its Latin and common name implies, its leaves are variable.  The lower leaves are heart-shaped with squared off bases and blades up to 4 inches long. The leaves alternate up the stem and become reduced in size and more deeply toothed with very short petioles or none at all.  Flowering occurs atop the single stem in summer.  The urn-shaped white flowers are tinged in pink.  These are attractve to a variety of pollinators - especially bees.

Variable-leaf Indian plantain is listed as threatened in both Florida and Georgia and few populations currently occur on protected lands.  Although an interesting and useful plant ecologically, it is not a good candidate for cultivation for home landscapes and has never been offered commercially by nurseries associated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  It simply is one of many native plants to be admired if found while walking in a natural wetland.

These photos were taken by my friend, Floyd Griffith and are used with permission.