Plantago

plant genus

Also known as: plantain

Written by

Melissa Petruzzello

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Angiosperm
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Plantago

Plantago, genus of about 270 species of small flowering plants, many of which are common weeds, edible wild plants, or medicinal herbs. Plantago species occur worldwide and are especially common in temperate regions, where they are often familiar features of lawns, roadsides, and other disturbed habitats. The plants usually have a dense tuft of basal leaves and long, leafless stalks bearing a terminal spike of small flowers. Although commonly called plantains, Plantago species are unrelated to plantain bananas (Musa species; family Musaceae), water plantains (Alisma species; Alismataceae), and mud plantains (Heteranthera species; Pontederiaceae).

Major species

Greater plantain (Plantago major) and ribwort plantain (P. lanceolata) are widespread in temperate regions, where they grow in lawns, roadsides, and disturbed habitats; their young leaves are edible, and the plants have long been used in traditional medicine to treat wounds, insect bites, and minor inflammations. Greater plantain also provides seed spikes used as bird food. Of economic significance is blond plantain (P. ovata), which is cultivated commercially for its fiber-rich seeds . Other notable species include buck’s-horn plantain (P. coronopus), whose narrow leaves are eaten as a salad green in parts of Europe, and sea plantain (P. maritima), a salt-tolerant species found in coastal marshes and sometimes foraged as a vegetable. Hoary plantain (P. media) can be a troublesome weed.

Psyllium husk

Blond plantain, or psyllium (P. ovata), is cultivated extensively in India and elsewhere for its seeds, which are valued for their exceptionally high content of soluble dietary fiber. The thin, colorless outer seed coats, known as psyllium husks, are separated from the seeds by drying, threshing, and milling. Because the husks readily absorb water and swell to form a viscous gel, they are widely used as bulk-forming laxatives and dietary fiber supplements, often sold as psyllium or ispaghul. Their consumption may help lower blood cholesterol levels, support satiety, and improve blood glucose control. Psyllium husks are also incorporated into a variety of foods, including breakfast cereals, baked goods, and gluten-free products, where they function as thickeners, stabilizers, and moisture-retaining agents.