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PLANTAGO. Plantains. [Plantaginaceae]
Twenty species of Plantago are recorded in Britain. These include the native Buck's-horn Plantain (P. coronopus), Ribwort Plantain (P. lanceolata), Greater Plantain (P. major), Sea Plantain (P. maritima) and Hoary Plantain (P. media) and the introduced Branched Plantain (P. arenaria). Three dipterous miners, the agromyzids Chromatomyia horticola, Phytomyza griffithsi and Phytomyza plantaginis, are recorded on Plantago in Britain. The agromyzids Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae and Liriomyza trifolii, polyphagous pest species of ornamental and vegetable crops occasionally intercepted at UK points of entry, are recorded on Plantago. Liriomyza huidobrensis and Liriomyza trifolii have been found under glass in England and Wales. All populations have been and continue to be eradicated.	Greater Plantain - Plantago major
Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza strigata, Liriomyza trifolii, Phytomyza griffithsi and Phytomyza plantaginis are recorded mining Plantago. Six non-dipterous miners are recorded on Plantago in Britain (see below).

Key for the identification of the known Diptera mines in Britain.

1> Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine. Puparium whitish, anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Mine of Chromatomyia horticola on Papaver rhoeas. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) [Agromyzidae]. -> Mine initially lower surface, but largely on upper surface, irregularly linear, finally almost filling the petiole and ending at the base. Pupation within the petiole. Mine of Phytomyza griffithsi on Plantago major. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Phytomyza griffithsi Spencer [Agromyzidae]. -> A narrow, whitish linear mine, normally in the leaf but more rarely also in the stem. Pupation at end of mine. Puparium whitish, anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Mine of Phytomyza plantaginis on Plantago lanceolata. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Phytomyza plantaginis Robineau-Desvoidy [Agromyzidae].

Non-dipterous miners recorded on Plantago in Britain Apteropeda orbiculata (Marsham, 1802) Coleoptera: Curculionidae   Aspilapteryx tringipennella (Zeller, 1839) Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) Lepidoptera: Tortricidae   Orthochaetes setiger (Beck, 1817) Coleoptera: Curculionidae     Scrobipalpa instabilella (Douglas, 1846) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae Scrobipalpa samadensis (Pfaffenzeller, 1870) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae

Last updated 30-Jul-2008  Brian Pitkin

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