Day 259: This plant is so common along roadsides and in waste areas that no one older than ten pays it any mind. If you're ten or under, they're known as "shooters." When the stem is bent into a circle and folded down behind the head, the head can be launched with some force as the bent stem is slid forward. With practice, a good marksman can peg a friend in the back of the head from a distance of a dozen feet or so.
That said, if you were to inquire among youngsters or adults as to the true name of this mundane plant, you'd receive very few correct replies. Originally from Europe, the Buckhorn or English Plaintain (Plantago lanceolata) exists in almost all of North America. The young leaves are edible as a salad green, if not particularly desirable, and are reputed to have a slightly salty taste.
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