Plantago is a
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called
plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar
plantainMusa paradisiaca, the plantain is a crop in the genus Musa and is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana ....
, a kind of
bananaBanana is the common name for a herbaceous plants of the genus Musa, and the commonly eaten fruit it produces. They are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics.Banana...
. Most are
herbaceousA herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants, though a few are
subshrubA subshrub is a short woody plant. It is distinguished from a shrub by its ground-hugging stems and lower height, with overwintering perennial woody growth typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or by being only weakly woody and/or persisting only for a few years...
s growing to 60 cm (23.5 in) tall. The
leavesIn botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin. There is continued debate about whether the flatness of leaves evolved to expose the chloroplasts to more light or to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. In...
are sessile, but have a narrow part near the stem which is a pseudo-
petioleIn botany, the petiole is the small stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly...
. They have three or five parallel veins that diverge in the wider part of the leaf. Leaves are broad or narrow, depending on the species. The
inflorescenceAn inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are borne on stalks typically 5-40 cm (2.25-15.75 in) tall, and can be a short cone or a long spike, with numerous tiny wind-pollinated
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s.
Plantains are used as food plants by the
larvaA larva is a young form of animal with indirect development, going through or undergoing metamorphosis ....
e of some species of
LepidopteraLepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
(
butterflyA butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so...
and
mothA moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. The differences between butterflies and moths are more than just taxonomy. Sometimes the names "Rhopalocera" and "Heterocera" are used to formalize the popular distinction...
) - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on plantains.
They are found all over the
worldWorld is a highly common name for the planet Earth, but it was originally used to mean the sum of human civilization living on it, specifically human experience, history, or the 'human condition' in general....
, including
AmericaThe Americas, or America, are lands in the Western hemisphere or New World, comprising the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. America may be ambiguous in English, as it is more commonly used to refer to the United States of America...
,
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
,
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
. Many
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
in the
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
are
cosmopolitanIn biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is a state of being found almost anywhere around the world. A cosmopolitan biological category, e.g. genus, may be called a cosmopolite.Examples of cosmopolitan species:* Humans* House dust mite...
weeds. They are found in many different habitats, most commonly in wet areas like seepages or bogs. They can also be found in alpine and semi-alpine or coastal areas. The
cosmopolitanIn biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is a state of being found almost anywhere around the world. A cosmopolitan biological category, e.g. genus, may be called a cosmopolite.Examples of cosmopolitan species:* Humans* House dust mite...
weeds can be frequently seen at the side of roads.
Uses
Plantago species have been used since prehistoric times as
herbal remediesHerbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy...
. The
herbA herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes....
is
astringentAn astringent substance is a chemical that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application. The word "astringent" derives from Latin adstringere, meaning "to bind fast"...
, anti-
toxicA toxin is a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms ....
,
antimicrobialAn antimicrobial is a substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans, as well as destroying viruses. Antimicrobial drugs either kill microbes or prevent the growth of microbes...
,
anti-inflammatoryAnti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids which affect the brain.-Medications:...
, anti-histamine, as well as
demulcentA demulcent is an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane. Demulcents such as pectin, glycerin, honey and syrup are common ingredients in cough mixtures. These demulcents will coat the throat and relieve the irritation causing...
, expectorant, styptic and
diureticA diuretic is any drug that elevates the rate of urination and thus provides a means of forced diuresis. There are several categories of diuretics...
. Externally, a
poulticeA poultice, also called cataplasm, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body...
of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison-ivy rashes, minor sores, and
boilBoil is a skin disease caused by the infection of hair follicles, resulting in the localized accumulation of pus and dead tissue. Individual boils can cluster together and form an interconnected network of boils called carbuncles....
s. In
folkloreFolklore is the body of expressive culture, including stories, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which...
it is even claimed to be able to cure
snakeSnakes are elongate legless carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
bite. Internally, it is used for coughs and
bronchitisAcute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
, as a
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
,
tinctureIn medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract or solution of a non-volatile substance; . To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60%...
, or
syrupIn cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. The viscosity arises from the multiple hydrogen bonds between the dissolved sugar, which has many hydroxyl groups, and the water...
. The broad-leaved varieties are sometimes used as a
leaf vegetableLeaf vegetables, also called potherbs, green vegetables, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots...
for
saladSalad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They include a mixture of cold or hot foods, often including raw vegetables and/or fruits.Green salads...
s,
green sauceGreen sauce is the name of several different sauces containing mainly herbs, namely the Italian salsa verde, the French sauce verte, and the German Grüne Soße or Frankfurter Grie Soß .- History :...
, et cetera.
Plantain seed husksPsyllium seed husks also known as ispaghula, isabgol, or simply as psyllium, are portions of the seeds of the plant Plantago ovata, , a native of India and Pakistan. They are soluble in water, expanding and becoming mucilaginous when wet.Psyllium seed husks are indigestible in human beings and are...
expand and become
mucilaginousMucilage is a polar glycoprotein; an exopolysaccharide; a polymer produced by most plants and some microorganisms.It occurs in various parts of nearly all classes of plant, usually in relatively small percentages, and is frequently associated with other substances, such as tannins and...
when wet, especially those of
P. psyllium, which is used in common over-the-counter bulk
laxativeLaxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that...
and fiber supplement products such as
MetamucilMetamucil is a bulk-producing laxative and fiber supplement manufactured by Procter & Gamble. The Metamucil brand has existed since 1934, and was owned by G.D. Searle & Company until 1985 when P&G acquired the brand. The active ingredient is psyllium seed husks. It is often used to treat...
.
P. psyllium seed is useful for
constipationConstipation, costiveness, or irregularity is a condition of the digestive system in which a person experiences hard feces that are difficult to expel. This usually happens because the colon absorbs too much water from the food...
,
irritable bowel syndromeIrritable bowel syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Also called spastic colon, it is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms...
, dietary fiber supplementation, and diverticular disease. Recent research is also showing it to be promising in lowering
cholesterolCholesterol is a lipidic, waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes, where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity...
and controlling diabetes. Plantain has been consumed as human food since prehistory. For example, archaeological recovery along
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
's Central Coast has demonstrated use of this species as a food since the
Millingstone HorizonMillingstone Horizon is an archaeological period of Native American dominance denoting a period in California, USA involving extensive use of manos and other grinding technology. The interval is a subset of the Archaic Period; specifically Millingstone is usually applied to the period 6500 to...
.
PsylliumPsyllium or Ispaghula is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago whose seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage.-History:...
supplements are typically used in powder form, along with adequate amounts of fluids. A dose of at least 7 grams daily taken with adequate amounts of fluid (water, juice) is used by some for management of elevated cholesterol. There are a number of psyllium products used for
constipationConstipation, costiveness, or irregularity is a condition of the digestive system in which a person experiences hard feces that are difficult to expel. This usually happens because the colon absorbs too much water from the food...
. The usual dose is about 3.5 grams twice a day. Psyllium is also a component of several ready-to-eat cereals.
In India,
mucilageMucilage is a polar glycoprotein; an exopolysaccharide; a polymer produced by most plants and some microorganisms.It occurs in various parts of nearly all classes of plant, usually in relatively small percentages, and is frequently associated with other substances, such as tannins and...
from
Desert IndianwheatPlantago ovata Plantago ovata Plantago ovata (Desert Indianwheat, Blond Psyllium; syn. Plantago brunnea Morris, Plantago fastigiata Morris, Plantago gooddingii A. Nels. & Kennedy, Plantago insularis Eastw., Plantago insularis Eastw. var. fastigiata (Morris) Jepson, Plantago insularis Eastw. var....
(
Plantago ovata) is obtained by grinding off the
huskHusk in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. It usually refers to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes the protective outer covering of a seed, fruit or vegetable...
. The mucilage is sold as Isabgol, a
laxativeLaxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that...
which is used to control irregular bowel syndrome and constipation. It is also used in cereals as a treatment of mild to moderate
hypercholesterolemiaHypercholesterolemia is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. It is not a disease but a metabolic derangement that can be secondary to many diseases and can contribute to many forms of disease, most notably cardiovascular disease...
and for reducing blood glucose. It has been used as an
indigenousThe term indigenous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group of people who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest known historical connection, alongside more recent immigrants who have populated the region and may be greater in number...
Ayurvedic and
UnaniUnani or Yunani means "Greek", and has its origins in the Greek word Ἰωνία or Ἰωνίη , a placename given to a Greek populated coastal region of Anatolia....
medicine for a whole range of bowel problems.
As Old English
Wegbrade the plantago is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon
Nine Herbs CharmThe Nine Herbs Charm is an Old English charm recorded in the 10th century Lacnunga manuscript. The charm is intended for treatment of poison and infection through the preparation of nine herbs. The numbers nine and three are mentioned frequently within the charm and are significant numbers in...
, recorded in the 10th century. In Romania and Bulgaria, leaves from
Plantago major are used as a folk remedy to preventing infection on cuts and scratches because of its
antisepticAntiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction...
properties. In
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north...
and other
Central EuropeCentral Europe is the region lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. The term and widespread interest in the region itself came back into fashion after the end of the Cold War, which, along with the Iron Curtain, had divided Europe politically into East and West,...
an regions, the leaves were traditionally used topically as a cure for
blisterA blister is a small pocket of fluid within the upper layers of the skin, typically caused by forceful rubbing , burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection. Most blisters are filled with a clear fluid called serum or plasma...
s resulting from
frictionFriction is the force resisting the relative lateral motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, or material elements in contact. It is usually subdivided into several varieties:...
(such as caused by tight shoes etc.).
There may also be a use for plantains in the abatement of enteric
methaneMethane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, and the principal component of natural gas. Methane's bond angles are 109.5 degrees. Burning methane in the presence of oxygen produces carbon dioxide and water. The relative abundance of methane and its clean...
from ruminants, as the natural compounds present (e.g. condensed tannins; ~14g/kg DM), affect the acetate-propionate ratio in the
rumenThe rumen, also known as a paunch, forms the larger part of the reticulorumen, which is the first chamber in the alimentary canal of ruminant animals. It serves as the primary site for microbial fermentation of ingested feed...
which is a primary mechanism by which
methanogenesisMethanogenesis or biomethanation is the formation of methane by microbes known as methanogens. Organisms capable of producing methane have been identified only from the kingdom Archaea, a group phylogenetically distinct from both eukaryotes and bacteria, although many live in close association with...
is restricted. Currently this is not a viable option in any significant scale due to agronomic difficulties.
Species
The boundaries of the genus
Plantago have been fairly stable, with the main question being whether to include
Bougueria (one species from the
AndesThe Andes are the world's longest exposed mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America...
) and
LittorellaLittorella is a genus of two to three species of aquatic plants. Many plants live their entire lives submersed, and reproduce by stolons, but some are only underwater for part of the year, and flower when they are not underwater.- Classification :...
(2–3 species of aquatic plants).
There are about 200 species of
Plantago, including:
- Plantago afra
- Plantago africana
- Plantago aitchisonii
- Plantago alpina
- Plantago amplexicaulis
Plantago amplexicaulis is an annual plant of the family Plantaginaceae and the genus Plantago that grows in dry sand and deserts.P. amplexicaulis is a therophyte, a type of plant that survives as seed during unfavourable conditions. In the deserts where P. amplexicaulis lives, this results in the...
- Plantago arborescens
- Plantago arenaria - Branched Plantain
- Plantago argentea
- Plantago asiatica
Plantago asiatica, is a plant of genus Plantago .Common Name: Chinese Plantain, Arnoglossa,...
- Plantago aucklandica
- Plantago bigelovii
- Plantago canescens
- Plantago coreana
- Plantago cordata
- Plantago coronopus
Plantago coronopus is a species of Plantago sometimes grown as a leaf vegetable.- External links :*...
- Buckshorn Plantain
- Plantago cornuti
- Plantago cretica
Plantago cretica is a species of Plantago, family Plantaginaceae....
- Plantago cynops
- Plantago erecta
Plantago erecta is a small, unassuming annual herb with needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered on a stalk. It grows in sandy, clay, or serpentine soils, on grassy slopes and flats or open woodland, from California to Oregon...
- Plantago eripoda
- Plantago elongata
- Plantago erosa
- Plantago fernandezia
- Plantago fischeri
- Plantago gentianoides
- Plantago glabrifolia
|
Plantago grayana
Plantago hawaiiensis
Plantago hedleyi
Plantago heterophylla
Plantago hillebrandii
Plantago himalaica
Plantago incisa
Plantago krajinai
Plantago lanceolataRibwort Plantain , also called English Plantain, is a plant of genus Plantago. It is a common weed of cultivated land....
- Ribwort Plantain
Plantago lanigera
Plantago longissima
Plantago macrocarpa
Plantago major - Greater Plantain, Common Plantain
Plantago maritimaPlantago maritima is a species of Plantago, family Plantaginaceae...
- Sea Plantain
Plantago maxima
Plantago mediaPlantago media, known as the hoary plantain, is a species of genus Plantago native to central and western Europe, including Great Britain and introduced to parts of the north-east United States...
- Hoary Plantain
Plantago melanochrous
Plantago mooreiPlantago moorei is a species of plant in the Plantaginaceae family. It is endemic to Falkland Islands. Its natural habitat is temperate shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
- Moore's Plantain
Plantago musicola
Plantago nivalisP. nivalis is a species of plantain which is found in the Sierra Nevada of Spain.- References : ...
Plantago nubicolaPlantago nubicola is aplant found in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.It was long classified as Bougueria nubicola, the only species in the genus Bougueria, and indeed it has a number of characteristics which make it different from the rest of Plantago...
(also known as Bougueria nubicola)
Plantago obconica
Plantago ovataPlantago ovata Plantago ovata Plantago ovata (Desert Indianwheat, Blond Psyllium; syn. Plantago brunnea Morris, Plantago fastigiata Morris, Plantago gooddingii A. Nels. & Kennedy, Plantago insularis Eastw., Plantago insularis Eastw. var. fastigiata (Morris) Jepson, Plantago insularis Eastw. var....
- Blond Psyllium
Plantago pachyphylla |
Plantago palmata
Plantago patagonica
Plantago polysperma
Plantago princeps
Plantago pusilla
Plantago psyllium - Sand Plantain, French or Dark Psyllium
Plantago raoulii
Plantago rapensis
Plantago remota
Plantago reniformis
Plantago robusta
Plantago rugelii - Blackseed Plantain
Plantago rupicola
Plantago schneideri
Plantago sempervirens
Plantago sparsiflora
Plantago subulata
Plantago spathulata
Plantago tanalensis
Plantago taqueti
Plantago tenuiflora
Plantago triandra
Plantago triantha
Plantago tweedyi |
External links