Narrow, fleshy leaves form a tight rosette. They are bright green with several parallel veins running the length of the leaf. Fine hairs cover the surface. This gives them a slightly rough texture. It is a small, rosette-forming herb. The leaves are edible. They have a mild, slightly bitter flavour. They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a green vegetable. Native plantain is a native relative of the introduced broadleaf plantain (Plantago major). It is not the same thing. Do not confuse the two. The flowers are small and inconspicuous. They are arranged in dense spikes at the tips of tall stalks. They appear in summer and are followed by small, capsule-like fruits containing the seeds. Wind pollinates the flowers. It is a modest reproductive strategy. It works. Native plantain is a plant of the coastal zone. It grows on coastal cliffs, in grasslands, and at forest margins. It tolerates salt spray, wind, and drought. It is an important component of coastal plant communities. To find native plantain is to walk the coastal cliffs and grasslands. Look for the small rosettes of narrow, fleshy leaves. It is a plant of the coast. A survivor of the salt and wind. In Māori tradition, the leaves were used medicinally. They were made into a poultice for wounds, sores, and skin infections. A decoction of leaves was taken for internal ailments. The leaves were also eaten as a green vegetable. The name refers to its plantain-like appearance. It was known as a valuable remedy. It was a plant of the coast. It was gathered by those who knew the cliffs and the grasslands. A medicine from the exposed places. A healing leaf from the edge of the land. Populations are considered stable but localised. The species is common in coastal areas throughout New Zealand. It is threatened by competition from introduced plantains. Habitat loss from land clearance is the primary threat. Climate change affects coastal habitats. The exposed places are changing. The plantain adapts where it can.