Additional notes (click to expand)

Medicinal

Traditional Herbal Medicine Registration (THMR).

The leaves contain mucilage and have a bitter flavour. They are astringent, demulcent, mildly expectorant, haemostatic and ophthalmic.

Other use

Young leaves eaten raw or cooked. Cooked seed used like sago. The seed can be ground into a powder and added to flours when making bread and cakes.

A good fibre is obtained from the leaves. Gold and brown dyes are obtained from the whole plant.

Geographical distribution

  • Africa
  • Asia-Temperate
  • Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, India
  • Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, Nepal
  • Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan
  • Europe

Plantago lanceolata L.

Family: PLANTAGINACEAE
Genus: Plantago
Species: lanceolata L.
Common names: Ribwort Plantain
Pharmacopoeia Londinensis name: Quinque nervia
Distribution summary: Europe
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: H4 - Hardy; average winter
Habitat: Grasslands and Roadsides
Garden status: Currently grown
Garden location: Plane tree bed (P)
Flowering months: April, May, June, July, August
Reason for growing: Medicinal, other use, traditional herbal registration


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