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 cultivated or disturbed land.

Description

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It has a well developed taproot. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are 2.5-30 cm long. They are sword shaped and taper to the tip. They can have teeth along the edge. The leaves have 3-7 easy to see veins running along them. The leaves have soft slender hairs. The flower stalks do not have leaves. The flower stalk is usually longer than the leaves. The flower stalk is usually deeply furrowed. The flowers are yellowish.

Edible Uses

Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, though they are rather bitter and preparation is time-consuming — the fibrous strands are best removed before eating. Very young leaves are somewhat less fibrous and more palatable. The seed can be cooked and used like sago, or ground into a powder and mixed into flour for bread, cakes, or similar preparations.

Traditional Uses

The tender leaves are cooked as a vegetable. They are also eaten in salads. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat. The seeds are used like sago. The leaves are also used for liqueur.

Medicinal Uses

Ribwort plantain is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, quickly stanching blood flow and supporting the repair of damaged tissue. The leaves contain mucilage, tannin, and silicic acid, and a leaf extract has demonstrated antibacterial properties. The leaves are bitter, astringent, demulcent, mildly expectorant, haemostatic, and ophthalmic. Internally they are used for diarrhoea, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, asthma, and hay fever. Externally they are applied to skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, and stings. Heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds and swellings. The root, used in equal portions with Marrubium vulgare, is a traditional remedy for rattlesnake bite. The seeds are used to treat parasitic worms. Seeds contain up to 30% mucilage, which swells in the gut and acts as a bulk laxative while soothing irritated membranes; the husks alone are sometimes used without the seeds. A distilled water made from the plant serves as an excellent eye lotion.

Known Hazards

Care should be exercised when collecting the plant from the wild for medicinal purposes, since they may contain high concentrations of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium where they grow along roads.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. In Nepal it grows up to 1700 m altitude. in Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. It grows on open, sandy soil. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Alaska, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Is., Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Crete, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Easter Island, Eswatini, Europe*, Falklands, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, French Guiana, Haiti, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Manchuria, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Africa, North America, Norway, NW India, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Siberia, Sicily, Slovenia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, West Indies, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. Plants also succeed in very poor land. An important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterflies. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a cold frame. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and plant out in early summer. If seed is plentiful, a direct outdoor sowing can be made in situ from mid to late spring.

Other Uses

A good fibre obtained from the leaves is considered suitable for textiles. Mucilage from the seed coats can be used as a fabric stiffener; it is extracted by macerating the seeds in hot water. Gold and brown dyes can be obtained from the whole plant. This plant is a dynamic accumulator and an important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly species. It is suited to food forest and wildlife garden settings.

Other Information

The leaves and young flowers are foraged and eaten in restaurants in Sweden. It is sold in local markets.

Notes

The plantains or Plantaginaceae are mostly in temperate regions. There are about 165 Plantago species. This plant causes hay-fever due to its pollen.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Baltanga, Code de sorce, Damarlica, Gul, Hiunca llanten, Isapgol, Lamb's tongue, Lanzafina, Lechuguilla, Lengua de vaca, Llanten, Llanten menor, Llanthen de hoja angosta, Long-leaved plantain, Masloon, Muska bokvica, Ozkolistni trpotec, Pelhves, Pentranevro, Piantai, Plangtarl long, Plantago, Plantatge, Planten, Ribgrass, Ribwort plantain, Rumput iga, Siete venas, Sinco nervi, Sinirliot, Smalkjempe, Smalle weegbree, Spitzwegerich, Tanchagem, Tansagem

References (78)

• Abbet, C., et al, 2014, Ethnobotanical survey on wild alpine food plants in Lower and Central Valais (Switzerland). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151 (2014) 624–634
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 466
• Bhatia, H., et al, 2018, Traditionally used wild edible plants of district Udhampur, J&K, India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:73
• Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 421

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