''Plantago'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of about 200 species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Plantaginaceae Plantaginaceae, the plantain family or veronica family, is a large, diverse family (biology), family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales that includes common flowers such as Antirrhinum, snapdragon and Digitalis, foxglove. It is unrelated ...

, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated

cooking plantain Cooking bananas are a group of banana cultivars in the genus ''Musa (genus), Musa'' whose fruits are generally used in cooking. They are not eaten raw and are generally starchy. Many cooking bananas are referred to as plantains or 'green bananas ...

. Most are

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition o ...

s, though a few are

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is often interch ...

s growing to tall.

Description

The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are sessile or have a poorly defined petiole. 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

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s are borne on stalks typically tall, and can be a short cone or a long spike, with numerous tiny wind-pollinated

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

Species

The boundaries of the genus ''Plantago'' have been fairly stable, with the main question being whether to include '' Bougueria'' (one species from the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

) and '' Littorella'' (2–3 species of aquatic plants).Albach, D. C., Meudt, H. M. & Oxelman, B. 2005
Piecing together the "new" Plantaginaceae
''American Journal of Botany'' 92: 297–315. There are about 200 species of ''Plantago'', including: *'' Plantago afra'' *''

Plantago africana ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated Plantain (cooking), cooking plantain. Most are herbaceo ...

'' *'' Plantago aitchisonii'' *'' Plantago alpina'' *'' Plantago amplexicaulis'' *'' Plantago arborescens'' *''

Plantago arenaria ''Plantago indica'', commonly known as branched plantain, sand plantain, or black psyllium, is a flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae, and is one of a few species in the ''Plantago'' genus under the common name psyllium. The plan ...

''—Branched plantain *''

Plantago argentea ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a ...

'' *''

Plantago aristata ''Plantago aristata'' is a species of plantain known by the common name bracted plantain or largebracted plantain. It is native to the eastern and central United States, and it can be found in other parts of North America as well as parts of Eur ...

''—Bracted plantain, largebracted plantain *''

Plantago asiatica ''Plantago asiatica'', is a self-fertile, perennial species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, etc.). It grows well in disturbed areas such as roadsides or even dirt roads. I ...

''—Chinese plantain, obako, arnoglossa *''

Plantago aucklandica ''Plantago aucklandica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae that is endemism, endemic to the subantarctic Auckland Islands, New Zealand. Joseph Dalton Hooker described ''P. aucklandica'' in his ''Flora Antarctica'' in ...

'' *''

Plantago bigelovii ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a ...

'' *''

Plantago canescens ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a ...

'' *''

Plantago cladarophylla ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a ...

'' *''

Plantago coreana ''Plantago'' is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a ...

'' *'' Plantago cordata''—Heartleaf plantain *'' Plantago coronopus''—Buckshorn plantain *'' Plantago cornuti'' *'' Plantago cretica'' *'' Plantago cynops'' *'' Plantago debilis''—Shade plantain, weak plantain *'' Plantago elongata''—Prairie plantain, slender plantain *'' Plantago erecta''—California plantain, foothill plantain, dot-seed plantain, English plantain, dwarf plantain *'' Plantago eriopoda''—Redwool plantain *'' Plantago erosa'' *'' Plantago fernandezia'' *'' Plantago fischeri'' *'' Plantago gentianoides'' *'' Plantago glabrifolia'' *'' Plantago grayana'' *'' Plantago gunnii'' - bolster plantain or bolster plantago *'' Plantago hawaiensis''—Hawaiian plantain *'' Plantago hedleyi'' *'' Plantago helleri''—Heller's plantain *'' Plantago heterophylla'' *'' Plantago hillebrandii'' *'' Plantago himalaica'' *'' Plantago holosteum'' *'' Plantago hookeriana''—Hookers plantain, tallow weed, California plantain *'' Plantago incisa'' *'' Plantago indica'' *'' Plantago krajinai'' *'' Plantago lagopus''—Hare's foot plantain *''

Plantago lanceolata ''Plantago lanceolata'' is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is known by the common names ribwort plantain, narrowleaf plantain, English plantain, ribleaf, lamb's tongue, and buckhorn. It is a common weed on ...

''—Ribwort plantain *'' Plantago lanigera'' *'' Plantago leiopetala''—Madeira plantain *'' Plantago longissima'' *'' Plantago macrocarpa'' *''

Plantago major ''Plantago major'', the broadleaf plantain, white man's footprint, waybread, or greater plantain, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. The plant is native to Eurasia. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, a ...

''—Greater plantain, common plantain *'' Plantago maritima''—Sea plantain *'' Plantago maxima'' *''

Plantago media ''Plantago media'', known as the hoary plantain, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is native to central and western Europe, including Great Britain and introduced to parts of the north-east United States. ...

''—Hoary plantain *'' Plantago melanochrous'' *'' Plantago moorei''—Moore's plantain *'' Plantago musicola'' *'' Plantago nivalis'' *'' Plantago novae-zelandiae'' *'' Plantago nubicola'' (also known as ''Bougueria nubicola'') *'' Plantago obconica'' *'' Plantago ovata''—Indian wheat, blond psyllium *'' Plantago pachyphylla'' *''

Plantago palustris ''Plantago palustris'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, native to New South Wales. It was first described in 1937 by Lilian Ross Fraser and Joyce Winifred Vickery Joyce Winifred Vickery (15 December 190829 May 197 ...

'' *'' Plantago palmata'' *'' Plantago patagonica''—Woolly plantain *'' Plantago picta'' *'' Plantago polysperma'' *'' Plantago princeps'' *'' Plantago purshii''—Woolly plantain *'' Plantago pusilla'' *'' Plantago psyllium''—Sand plantain, French or dark psyllium *'' Plantago raoulii'' *'' Plantago rapensis'' *'' Plantago remota'' *'' Plantago reniformis'' *''

Plantago rhodosperma ''Plantago rhodosperma'' is a species of flowering plant in the Plantaginaceae, plantain family known by the common names redseed plantain and redseed indianwheat. It is native to the Great Plains and Southwestern United States, Southwest of the ...

''—Redseed plantain, redseed indianwheat *'' Plantago rigida'' *'' Plantago robusta'' *'' Plantago rugelii''—Blackseed plantain *'' Plantago rupicola'' *'' Plantago schneideri'' *'' Plantago sempervirens'' *'' Plantago sparsiflora'' *'' Plantago spathulata'' *'' Plantago subnuda''—Tall coastal plantain *'' Plantago tanalensis'' *'' Plantago taqueti'' *'' Plantago tenuiflora'' *'' Plantago triandra'' *'' Plantago triantha'' *''

Plantago tweedyi ''Plantago tweedyi'', Tweedy's plantain, is a perennial herb in the plantain family. It is native to the western United States, from New Mexico and Arizona north to Montana. Taxonomy ''Plantago tweedyi'' was described and published in 1886 by A ...

'' *'' Plantago udicola'' *''

Plantago unibracteata ''Plantago unibracteata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. Knud Rahn gave the species its current name in 1996, based on Joseph Dalton Hooker's original description (as ''P. uniflora'' ...

'' *'' Plantago virginica''—Virginia plantain, paleseed plantain *'' Plantago winteri'' *'' Plantago wrightiana''—Wright's plantain

Etymology

The genus name ''Plantago'' descends from the classical

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

name , which in classical Latin meant some ''Plantago'' species, including ''

'' and ''

''. In Latin the name was formed from the classical Latin word = "sole of the foot". The name was so formed in Latin because the leaves of these species grow out near flat at ground level. The suffix in Latin means "a sort of".

Distribution and habitat

The species are found all over the world, including the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

and

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. Many

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

in the

are

cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

weeds. They are found in many different

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s, most commonly in wet areas like seepages or

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...

s. They can also be found in alpine and semi-alpine or coastal areas. The cosmopolitan weeds can be frequently seen at the side of roads.

Ecology

Plantains are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some species of

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

(

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

and

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

Uses

Plantain has been consumed as human food since

prehistory Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use ...

. For example, archaeological recovery along

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

's Central Coast has demonstrated use of this species as a food since the

Millingstone Horizon Millingstone Horizon is an archaeological period of Native American dominance denoting a period in California, United States involving extensive use of manos and other grinding technology. The interval is a subset of the Archaic Period; speci ...

. The broad-leaved varieties are sometimes used as a

leaf vegetable Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by their petioles and shoots, if tender. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...

for

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

s, green sauce, and so on. Tender young plantain leaves can be eaten raw and older leaves can be cooked. The seeds can be cooked like rice. ''Plantago'' species have been used since prehistoric times as

herbal remedies Herbal medicine (also called herbalism, phytomedicine or phytotherapy) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many herbal treatments ...

. The

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

astringent An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin '' adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Astringency, the dry, puckering or numbing mouthfeel caused by t ...

, anti-

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

antimicrobial An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms (microbicide) or stops their growth (bacteriostatic agent). Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they are used to treat. For example, antibiotics are used aga ...

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...

, anti-histamine, as well as

demulcent A demulcent (derived from the "caress") is a mucilaginous or oleaginous preparation that forms a soothing protective film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane. However, they generally help for less than 3 ...

expectorant Mucoactive agents are a class of pharmacologic agents that include expectorants, mucolytics, mucoregulators, and mucokinetics that can affect the volume, viscosity, transportation, and composition of mucus or sputum. They often aid in clearing ...

styptic An antihemorrhagic () agent is a substance that promotes hemostasis (a process which stops bleeding). It may also be known as a hemostatic (also spelled haemostatic) agent. Antihemorrhagic agents used in medicine have various mechanisms of action: ...

and

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics ...

. Externally, a

poultice A poultice or cataplasm, also called a fomentation, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is applied to the skin to reduce inflammation, soothe pain, promote healing, or otherwise treat wounds or ailments. Soft materials like cer ...

of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison-ivy rashes, minor sores, and

boil A boil, also called a furuncle, is a deep folliculitis, which is an infection of the hair follicle. It is most commonly caused by infection by the bacterium ''Staphylococcus aureus'', resulting in a painful swollen area on the skin caused by ...

s. In

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

it is even claimed to be able to cure

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

bite and was used by the Dakota Indian tribe of North America for this. Internally, it is used for coughs and

bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

, as a

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

tincture A tincture is typically an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Solvent concentrations of 25–60% are common, but may run as high as 90%.Groot Handboek Geneeskrachtige Planten by Geert Verhelst In chemistr ...

, or

syrup In cooking, syrup (less commonly sirup; from ; , beverage, wine and ) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a Solution (chemistry), solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but ...

. Tea made from the leaves may help cure diarrhea. Plantain seed husks expand and become

mucilaginous Mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion, with the direction of their movement always opposite to that of the secretion of ...

when wet, especially those of ''P. psyllium'', which is used in common over-the-counter bulk

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

and fiber supplement products such as Metamucil. ''P. psyllium'' seed is useful for

constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The Human feces, stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the ...

irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, and changes in the consistency of bowel movements. These symptoms may ...

, dietary fiber supplementation, and

diverticular disease Diverticular disease is when problems occur due to diverticulosis, a benign condition defined by the formation of pouches (diverticula) from weak spots in the wall of the large intestine. This disease spectrum includes diverticulitis, symptomatic ...

. Mucilage from desert indianwheat (''P. ovata'') is obtained by grinding off the

husk Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an Ear (botany), ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes t ...

. This mucilage, also known as

psyllium Psyllium (), 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. Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber to relieve symptoms of both ...

, is commonly sold as Isabgol, a laxative which is used to control irregular bowel syndrome and constipation. It has been used as an

indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology) In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...

Ayurvedic Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

and

Unani Unani or Yunani medicine (Urdu: ''tibb yūnānī'') is Perso-Arabic traditional medicine as practiced in Muslim culture in South Asia and modern day Central Asia. Unani medicine is pseudoscientific. The term '' Yūnānī'' means 'Greek', ref ...

medicine for a whole range of bowel problems. Psyllium 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

. The usual dose is about 3.5 grams twice a day. Psyllium is also a component of several ready-to-eat cereals. In Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Russia, leaves from ''Plantago major'' are used as a folk remedy to preventing infection on cuts and scratches because of its

antiseptic An antiseptic ( and ) is an antimicrobial substance or compound that is applied to living tissue to reduce the possibility of sepsis, infection, or putrefaction. Antiseptics are generally distinguished from ''antibiotics'' by the latter's abil ...

properties. In

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

and other

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

an regions, the leaves were traditionally used topically as a cure for

blister A blister is a small pocket of body fluid (lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus) within the upper layers of the skin, usually caused by forceful rubbing (friction), burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection. Most blisters are filled ...

s resulting from

friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. Types of friction include dry, fluid, lubricated, skin, and internal -- an incomplete list. The study of t ...

(such as caused by tight shoes etc.). There may also be a use for plantains in the abatement of enteric

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...

from

ruminants Ruminants are herbivorous grazing or browsing artiodactyls belonging to the suborder Ruminantia that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by Enteric fermentation, fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principa ...

, as the natural compounds present (e.g. condensed

tannins Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widely applied to any large po ...

; ~14 g/kg DM), affect the acetate-propionate ratio in the

rumen The rumen, also known as a paunch, is the largest stomach compartment in ruminants. The rumen and the reticulum make up the reticulorumen in ruminant animals. The diverse microbial communities in the rumen allows it to serve as the primary si ...

, which is a primary mechanism by which

methanogenesis Methanogenesis or biomethanation is the formation of methane coupled to energy conservation by microbes known as methanogens. It is the fourth and final stage of anaerobic digestion. Organisms capable of producing methane for energy conservation h ...

is restricted.Lourenço, M., G. Van Ranst, B. Vlaeminck, S. De Smet, and V. Fievez (2008). "Influence of different dietary forages on the fatty acid composition of rumen digesta as well as ruminant meat and milk", Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 418–437. Currently this is not a viable option in any significant scale due to agronomic difficulties.

Culture

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

''Wegbrade'' the plantago is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon ''

Nine Herbs Charm The Nine Herbs Charm, ''Nigon Wyrta Galdor'', Lay of the Nine Healing Herbs, or Nine Wort Spell (among other names) is an Old English charm recorded in the tenth century CE.Gordon (1962:92–93). It is part of the Anglo-Saxon medical compilation ...

'', recorded in the 10th century.

Gallery

File:Plantago alpina0.jpg, ''Plantago alpina'' File:Plantago_lanceolata_plant.jpg, Ribwort plantain (''Plantago lanceolata'') File:Ribwort 600.jpg , Ribwort plantain (''Plantago lanceolata'') File:Plantago nivalis.JPG, ''Plantago nivalis'' File:Ribwort flower spike 800.jpg, Ribwort plantain flower spike File:Plantago coronopus0.jpg, Buckshorn plantain (''Plantago coronopus'') File:Plantago-media-stepposa10.jpg, ''Plantago media stepposa'' File:Plantago-maritima-flowers.JPG, ''Plantago maritima''

References

External links

* *
Common Plantain, from Mrs. Grieve's herbal

Medicinal uses of P. major in Armenia

* ttp://www.northernbushcraft.com/plants/commonPlantain/notes.htm Edibility of Plantago Visual identification and edible parts of wild plantago. {{Authority control Plantaginaceae genera Laxatives Leaf vegetables Medicinal plants Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus