Plants of this plantain are large with large leaves, up to nine veins, wide petioles, and long spikes with dozens of flowers and fruits with up to 5 seeds.

The specific epithet honours Australian naturalist and conchologist Charles Hedley, who helped collect the species in 1893.

[1] The species is endemic to Australia’s subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea.

It occurs in rocky sites on the upper slopes and summits of Mounts Lidgbird and Gower at the southern end of the island.

[1][2] In molecular phylogenetic studies focusing on Plantago species throughout the world, Plantago hedleyi was also shown to be related to other species from New Zealand and Australia, including other island endemics such as Plantago aucklandica (which is endemic to Auckland Islands, New Zealand) and Plantago stauntonii (which is endemic to Île Amsterdam).