iPlantago (Plantains)
Greater Plantain (Plantago major)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Plantaginaceae Genus: Plantago L.
Subgenus
There are 5 subgenera in Plantago. Plantago Coronopus Bougeria Psyllium Littorella Plantago major Image taken by me on 20 March 2004 in the outdoor botanical garden of Technion - Haifa, Israel. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also called angiosperms) are the dominant and most familiar group of land plants. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class: this name is formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name Magnoliaceae by the termination -opsida (Art 16 of the ICBN). ... Families See text The Order Lamiales is a taxon in the asterid group of dicotyledonous flowering plants. ... Genera See text The Plantaginaceae Juss. ... Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[1] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ...

Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow part near the stem which is a pseudo-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 inflorescences are borne on stalks typically 5-40 cm tall, and can be a short cone or a long spike, with numerous tiny wind-pollinated flowers. In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... Species Musa × paradisiaca A big load of plantains in Masaya, Nicaragua Plantains are bananas that are generally used for cooking, as contrasted with the soft, sweet banana varieties (which are sometimes called dessert bananas). ... Species Hybrid origin; see text Banana is the common name used for herbaceous plants in the genus Musa, which because of their size and structure, are often mistaken for trees. ... This article is about the plants used in cooking and medicine. ... A subshrub (Latin suffrutex) is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody perennial plant, distinguished from a shrub by variously 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 only... The leaves of a Beech tree A leaf with laminar structure and pinnate venation In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... A petiole (also called a pedicel) is the first abdominal segment of members of the Apocrita. ... An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers on a branch of a plant. ... Clivia miniata A cluster of flowers (Clivia miniata) A Blue Summer Flower. ...

Plantains are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Plantago. A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Super Families Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Micropterigoidea Heterobathmioidea Eriocranioidea Acanthopteroctetoidea Lophocoronoidea Neopseustoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Hepialoidea Nepticuloidea Incurvarioidea Palaephatoidea Tischeriodea Simaethistoidea Tineoidea Gracillarioidea Yponomeutoidea Gelechioidea Zygaenoidea Sesioidea Cossoidea Tortricoidea Choreutoida Urodoidea Galacticoidea Schreckensteinioidea Epermenioidea Pterophoroidea Aluctoidea Immoidea Axioidea Hyblaeoidea Thyridoidea Whalleyanoidea Pyraloidea Mimallonoidea Lasiocampoidea Geometroidea Drepanoidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidae Hedyloidea Noctuoidea Families About... Plantains (Plantago spp) are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species including: Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysrrhoea) Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae) Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) Giant Leopard Moth (Ecpantheria scribonia) The Gothic (Naenia typica) Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) Hypercompe cermellii...

They are found all over the world, including America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Europe. Many species in the genus are cosmopolitan weeds. Antarctica Australia Africa Asia Europe North America South America Middle East Caribbean Central Asia East Asia North Asia South Asia Southeast Asia SW. Asia China Australasia Melanesia Micronesia Polynesia Central America Latin America Northern America Americas C. Africa E. Africa N. Africa Southern Africa W. Africa C. Europe E. Europe... World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... Look up cosmopolitan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Uses

Plantago spp. are often used as herbal remedies. The herb is astringent, anti-toxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, as well as demulcent, expectorant, styptic and diuretic. Externally, a poultice of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison-ivy rashes, minor sores, and boils. In folklore it is even claimed to be able to cure snakebite (but at least for actually dangerous snakebites this is certainly untrue). Internally, it is used for coughs and bronchitis, as a tea, tincture, or syrup. The broad-leaved varieties are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable for salads, green sauce, et cetera. The term Herbalism refers to folk and traditional medicinal practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. ... Herbs: basil Herbs (IPA: hə(ɹ)b, or əɹb; see pronunciation differences) are plants grown for culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual value. ... An astringent is a chemical substance that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application. ... The venom of the black widow spider is a potent latrotoxin. ... An antimicrobial is a substance that kills or slows the growth of microbes like bacteria (antibacterial activity), fungi (antifungal activity), viruses (antiviral activity), or parasites (antiparasitic activity). ... Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. ... Demulcent herbs often have a high content of mucilage, making them ideal to soothe and protect irritated or inflammed internal tissues of the body. ... A cough medicine or antitussive is a medication given to people to help them stop coughing. ... A Styptic pencil is a short stick of medication, usually alum, used for staunching blood, especially for cuts caused by shaving. ... A diuretic (colloquially called a water pill) is any drug or herb that elevates the rate of bodily urine excretion (diuresis). ... A poultice 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. ... Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrates that are taxonomically referred to as the class Insecta. ... Binomial name Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze Poisonivy (Toxicodendron radicans or Rhus toxicodendron), in the family Anacardiaceae, is a woody vine that is well-known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant which for most people will cause an agonizing, itching rash. ... Boil or furuncle is a skin disease caused by the inflammation of hair follicles, thus resulting in the localized accumulation of pus and dead tissues. ... Folklore is the body of verbal expressive culture, including tales, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs current among a particular population, comprising the oral tradition of that culture, subculture, or group. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... This article is not about asthma. ... Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan. ... In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e. ... In cooking, a syrup (from Arabic شراب sharab, beverage, via Latin siropus) is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. ... Fresh Swiss chard Fresh water spinach Creamed spinach Steamed kale Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. ... Salad Platter Salad is a term applied broadly to many food preparations that are a mixture of chopped or sliced ingredients. ... Green Sauce is the name of several rather different sauces containing mainly herbs, namely the Italian salsa verde, the French sauce verte, and the German grüne Soße or Frankfurter Grie Soß (Frankfurt dialect). ...

Plantain seed husks expand and become mucilaginous when wet, especially those of P. psyllium, which is used in common over-the-counter bulk laxative and fiber supplement products such as Metamucil. P. psyllium seed is useful for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, dietary fiber supplementation, and diverticular disease. Recent research is also showing it to be promising in lowering cholesterol and controlling diabetes. Psyllium seed husks, also known as ispaghula or simply as psyllium, are portions of the seeds of the plant Plantago psyllium or Plantago ovata. ... Mucilage is a thick gluey substance, often produced by plants. ... A laxative is a preparation used for encouraging defecation, or the expulsion of feces. ... Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ... Diverticulosis, otherwise known as diverticular disease, is the condition of having diverticula in the colon which are outpocketings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa through weaknesses of muscle layers in the colon wall. ... Cholesterol is a sterol (a combination steroid and alcohol) and a lipid found in the cell membranes of all body tissues, and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

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 constipation. The usual dose is about 3.5 grams twice a day. Psyllium is also a component of several ready-to-eat cereals. Species - Buckshorn Plantain - Branched Plantain - Ribwort Plantain - Greater Plantain - Sea Plantain - Hoary Plantain - Sand Plantain . ... Species - Buckshorn Plantain - Branched Plantain - Ribwort Plantain - Greater Plantain - Sea Plantain - Hoary Plantain - Sand Plantain . ... Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ... For other meanings of gram, see gram (disambiguation). ... Species - Buckshorn Plantain - Branched Plantain - Ribwort Plantain - Greater Plantain - Sea Plantain - Hoary Plantain - Sand Plantain . ...

In India, mucilage from (Plantago ovata) is obtained by grinding off the husk. The mucilageis sold as Isabgol, a laxative which is used to control irregular bowel syndrome and constipation. It is also used in cereals as a treatment of mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia and for reducing blood glucose. It has been used as an indigenous Ayurvedic and Unani medicine for a whole range of bowel problems including chronic constipation, amoebic dysentry and diarrhoea. Mucilage is a thick gluey substance, often produced by plants. ... The term husk is mostly used to refer to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. ... Mucilage is a thick gluey substance, often produced by plants. ... Isabgol or Sat-Isabgol is an Indian branded product for relief of constipation. ... A laxative is a preparation used for encouraging defecation, or the expulsion of feces. ... Hypercholesterolemia (literally: high blood cholesterol) is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. ... In medicine, blood sugar is glucose in the blood. ... The word indigenous is an adjective derived from the Latin word indigena, meaning native, belonging to, aboriginal; and has several applications: Indigenous peoples, communities and cultures native or indigenous to a territory; Indigenous (band), a Native American blues-rock band; In biology, indigenous means native to a place or biota... Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a more than 2,000 year old comprehensive system of medicine based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. ... Unaani (in Arabic, Hindustani, Persian, Pashtu, Urdu etc) means Greek. ... The intestine is the portion of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine. ... Dysentery is a severe diarrhea illness often associated with blood in the feces. ... Diarrhoea is the correct way to spell the word Diarrhoea. ...

In Romania and Bulgaria, leaves from Plantago major are used as a folk remedy to preventing infection on cuts and scratches because of its antiseptic properties. Binomial name Plantago major L. The Broadleaf Plantain or Greater Plantago (Plantago major) is a member of the plantago family, Plantaginaceae. ... A home remedy is a treatment or cure for a disease or other ailment that employs certain foods or other common household items. ... An antiseptic solution of iodine applied to a cut An antiseptic (Greek αντι, against, and σηπτικος, putrefactive) is a substance that prevents the growth and reproduction of various microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses). ...

Species

There are about 200 species of Plantago, including:

Binomial name Plantago asiatica Plantago asiatica, is a plant of genus Plantago [1] [2]. Common Name: Chinese Plantain, Arnoglossa, ^ Plantago subg. ... Binomial name Plantago lanceolata Ref: ITIS 32874 Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) is a plant of genus Plantago. ... Binomial name Plantago major L. The Broadleaf Plantain or Greater Plantago (Plantago major) is a member of the plantago family, Plantaginaceae. ... Binomial name Plantago media L., 1753 Plantago media, known as the hoary plantain, is a species of genus Plantago native to central Europe and introduced to parts of the north-east United States. ...

Gallery

Plantago alpina Image File history File links Download high resolution version (480x640, 65 KB) Name Plantago alpina Family Plantaginaceae Image no. ...

Ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Image File history File links Download high resolution version (480x640, 102 KB) Name Plantago major. ...

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Download high resolution version (600x725, 169 KB)Ribwort Plantain, Plantago lanceolata. ...

Ribwort Plantain flower spike Download high resolution version (800x1045, 160 KB)Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) flower spike File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Buckshorn Plantain (Plantago coronopus) Image File history File links Name Plantago coronopus Family Plantaginaceae Image no. ...

Plantago media stepposa Image File history File links Download high resolution version (479x640, 48 KB) Name Plantago media stepposa Family Plantaginaceae Same image, after rotation, as Image:Plantago media stepposa1. ...

References

Cho, Y.; Mower, J. P., Qiu, Y.-L. & Palmer, J. D. (2004). Mitochondrial substitution rates are extraodinarily elevated and variable in a genus of flowering plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 101: 17741-17746

Dagar, J. C.; Kumar, Y. & Tomar, O. S. (2006). Cultivation of medicinal isabgol (Plantago ovata) in alkali soils in semiarid regions of northern India. Land Degradation and Development 17: 275-283

Rahn, K. (1996). A phylogenetic study of the Plantaginaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 120: 145-198

Rønsted, N.; Chase, M. W.; Albach, D. C. & Bello, M. A. (2002). Phylogenetic relationships within Plantago (Plantaginaceae): evidence from nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid TrnL-F sequence data. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 139: 323-338

External links

• Medicinal uses of P. major in Armenia
• Additional information about psyllium, including growing procedure and economic value