Plantago major, thebroadleaf plantain,white man's footprint,waybread, orgreater plantain, is a species offlowering plant in the plantain familyPlantaginaceae. The plant is native to Eurasia. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, and the older, stringier leaves can be boiled in stews and eaten.
Plantago major is aherbaceous,perennial plant with arosette ofleaves 15–30 centimetres (6–12 inches), exceptionally 70 centimetres (28 inches),[2] in diameter.[3][4] Each leaf is oval-shaped, 5–20 cm (2–8 in) long[5] and 4–9 cm (1+1⁄2–3+1⁄2 in) broad, rarely up to 30 cm (12 in) long and 17 cm (7 in) broad, with an acute apex, a smooth margin, and a distinctpetiole almost as long as the leaf itself. There are five to nine conspicuous veins over the length of the leaf.[6] Theflowers are small, greenish-brown with purplestamens, produced in a dense spike 5–15 cm (2–6 in) long on top of a stem 13–15 cm (5–6 in) tall and rarely to 70 cm (28 in) tall.[3][4]
Plantain iswind-pollinated and propagates primarily by seeds, which are held on the long, narrow spikes which rise well above the foliage.[4][7] Each plant can produce up to 20,000 seeds, which are very small and oval-shaped, with a bitter taste.[8]
The plant is native to most of Europe and northern and central Asia,[10][9][3] but has widelynaturalised elsewhere in the world.[10][11][12][13][14]Plantago major grows in lawns and fields, along roadsides, and in other areas that have been disturbed by humans. It does particularly well incompacted or disturbed soils.
Plantago major is believed to be one of the first plants to reach North America after European colonisation. Reportedly brought to the Americas by Puritan colonizers, plantain was known among some Native American peoples by the common name "white man's footprint", because it thrived in the disturbed and damaged ecosystems surrounding European settlements.[15]
The ability of plantain to survive frequent trampling and colonize compacted soils makes it important forsoil rehabilitation. Its roots break uphardpan surfaces, while simultaneously holding together the soil to preventerosion.[16] The seeds of plantain are a common contaminant incereal grain and other crop seeds. As a result, it now has a worldwide distribution.[11]
The mature plant contains pliable and toughfibres that can be used in survival situations to make small cords,fishing line,sutures, orbraiding.[17] Somecultivars are planted asornamentals ingardens, including 'Rubrifolia' with purple leaves, and 'Variegata' withvariegated leaves.[18] The leaves are edible as asalad green when young and tender, but they quickly become tough and fibrous as they get older. The older leaves can be cooked in stews.[19] The seeds are so small that they are tedious to gather, but they can be ground into a flour substitute or extender.[20]
^Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982].Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York:Sterling. p. 79.ISBN978-1-4027-6715-9.OCLC244766414.
^Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012.Webb's An Irish Flora. Cork University Press.ISBN978-185918-4783
^As a result,Plantago major has many common names. In addition to "broadleaf plantain" and "greater plantain", other common names include: common plantain, broad-leaved plantain, cart track plant, dooryard plantain, greater plantago, healing blade, hen plant, lambs foot, roadweed, roundleaf plantain, snakeroot, waybread, wayside plantain, and white man's foot prints. --Britton, Nathaniel Lord; Addison Brown (1913).An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Volume 3 (second ed.). Dover Publications, inc. p. 245.
^Duke, James A. (2001)."Plantago major".Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other Economic Plants. CRC Press. p. 471.ISBN978-0-8493-3865-6.
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