Members of the family Plantaginaceae are herbs that characteristically lack stems and grow in a rosette form. In Montana they are represented by the genus Plantago, commonly known as the plantains or ribworts. This large and very widespread genus consists of mostly perennial, terrestrial herbs. There are about 3 genera and 253 species worldwide, distributed mostly in temperate regions and mountains in the tropics.
Like other members of this family, plantains have very small, inconspicuous flowers that often aggregate into heads or spikes. The flowers are bisexual and wind pollinated, with calyx and corolla 4-lobed and regular, having 4 stamens.
The leaves are simple, entire to variously divided, spirally arranged or in basal rosettes, rarely opposite with a basal sheath. No stipules.
The fruits are small, oval capsules, round in intersection, opening by a lid-like top, and containing many small seeds.
Economic uses are none, several species of the genus Plantago are troublesome weeds.