Plantago

Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to tall.

AI overview

Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants commonly known as plantains or fleaworts, most of which are herbaceous plants with a few subshrub varieties. Though often overlooked, these plants are noteworthy because they represent a diverse and widespread group within the Plantaginaceae family, though their common name "plantain" is sometimes confused with an entirely different cooking banana.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Species

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Plantago

GENUS

KingdomPlantae
PhylumTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderLamiales
FamilyPlantaginaceae

Native toAfghanistan, Alabama, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Algeria, Altay, Amsterdam-St.Paul Is., Amur, Antipodean Is., Argentina Northeast

Observations recorded4,368,268

车前属（学名：Plantago）包括大约200种植物，遍布全世界，有的品种本身就分布在世界各地，绝大部分为草本，也有少数品种是能长到60厘米高的灌木，叶座生，但在近茎端变窄，形成假叶柄，有3-5条平行叶脉；花茎上生有4-40厘米长的穗状或锥形花序，花小，风媒；种子小。车前属药用做收敛剂，用于消毒、杀菌、消炎、止痛、祛痰、止血和利尿，外用将叶捣敷治疗蚊虫叮咬、烫伤、有毒植物蜇伤等，印度车前子种皮粉是良好的膳食纤维补充剂，并可治疗便秘。

via GBIF · Kew POWO

Research

2,234 papers

Plantago consumption significantly reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) · 2024Zhu R, Lei Y, Wang S et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.013
Plantago asiatica L. polysaccharides: Physiochemical properties, structural characteristics, biological activity and application prospects: A review.ReviewInternational journal of biological macromolecules · 2024Huan C, Zhang R, Xie L et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128990
Plantago species are emerging model organisms for functional genomics and stress biology.ReviewPlant cell reports · 2025Levengood H, Smith L, Gillis S et al.DOI: 10.1007/s00299-025-03530-w
Plantago spp. as Models for Studying the Ecology and Evolution of Species Interactions across Environmental Gradients.ReviewThe American naturalist · 2021Penczykowski RM, Sieg RDDOI: 10.1086/714589
PLANTAGO OVATA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON CULTIVATION, BIOCHEMICAL, PHARMACEUTICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS.ReviewActa poloniae pharmaceutica · 2017Sarfraz RM, Khan H, Maheen S et al.
Plantago ovata. (Psyllium).ReviewAlternative medicine review : a journal of clinical therapeutic · 2002
Chemical constituents and medical benefits of Plantago major.ReviewBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie · 2017Adom MB, Taher M, Mutalabisin MF et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.09.152
Medicine-Food Homologous Plantago L. in Gastrointestinal Health and Disease: A Review.ReviewMolecular nutrition & food research · 2025Wu Y, Wang X, Wang C et al.DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70100

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image: Plantago major.jpg

Show 5 more facts

Commons category: Plantago
taxon name: Plantago
GRIN URL: npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomygenus.aspx?id=9492
Commons gallery: Plantago
taxon common name: trpotec

Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~8 min read

Article

10 sections

Contents

Description
Species
Etymology
Distribution and habitat
Ecology
Uses
Culture
Gallery
References
External links

==Description== The leaves are sessile or have a poorly defined 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 tall, and can be a short cone or a long spike, with numerous tiny wind-pollinated flowers.