Flower:

Inconspicuous flowers densely packed in a cylindrical spike ½ to 3 inches long and about 1/3 inch wide, at the end of a long naked stem. The flowers open in a ring around the spike, starting at the bottom and progressing upwards, the stamens’ long filaments and large white tips (anthers) extended out about as far as the central column is wide. Spent flowers, sepals and bracts below the blooms are papery brown, buds above the blooms are gray-green. Rarely a spike contains only pistillate (female) flowers.

Leaves and stems:

Leaves are basal, narrowly lance-elliptic, 4 to 16 inches long and ½ to 1½ inches wide, mostly toothless, with smooth or short fine hairy surfaces and 3, 5 or 7 prominent veins along its length. The basal rosette is usually densely packed, the leaves erect to spreading. Flowering stems are grooved and covered to varying degrees in short hairs pressed close to the stem (appressed), especially towards the base.

Notes:

A relative newcomer to Minnesota landscapes, Plantago lanceolata is native to Eurasia but now a common weed of urban areas world-wide. It isn't likely to be confused with other plantain species in Minnesota.