broadleaf plantain

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• broad-leaved plantain
• common plantain
• greater plantain
• Ratstail Plantain
• Broadleaf Plantain
• large plantain
• plantain

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales, it is classified under the family Plantaginaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Plantago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Its presence is also documented throughout the landscapes of Finland. Additionally, the species is located within the Faroe Islands, which are known as Føroyar. Finally, its range extends to the island of Iceland and across Great Britain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Plantago major is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal spectrum, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to a maximum elevation of 3000 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 375 m AMSL. This species exhibits a strong affinity for anthropic habitats (Área Antrópica), frequently colonizing environments heavily influenced by human activity, such as compacted soils, roadsides, and disturbed urban or agricultural landscapes.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

375 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Plantago major are characterized by a stable chromosomal structure, with the species typically exhibiting a diploid nature. Specifically, the plant possesses a ploidy level of 2, indicating that its somatic cells contain two complete sets of chromosomes. This diploidy is a fundamental aspect of its genomic organization, influencing its reproductive strategies and evolutionary adaptability across diverse environments. The genetic makeup of this species supports its resilience, allowing for consistent inheritance patterns and phenotypic stability within its populations.

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Plantago major is characterized by a versatile and resilient growth strategy, functioning primarily as a perennial, although its lifecycle can be variable, occasionally manifesting as an annual or biennial depending on environmental conditions. As a hemicryptophyte, the plant protects its perennating buds at or just below the soil surface, a structural adaptation that allows it to persist through unfavorable seasons. Its physiological nature is deciduous, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal cycle. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and a hemicryptophytic life form enables the species to establish a persistent presence in its habitat, utilizing its ground-level bud protection to survive and re-emerge annually.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Plantago major is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. The plant exhibits a variable stature, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, maintaining a mean plant height of approximately 0.265 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.265 m

Plant height min:

0.03 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Plantago major is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, reflecting its metabolic strategy for carbon fixation. Its vegetative structure is organized in a rosette leaf arrangement, featuring elliptic leaf forms that lack succulence and are non-carnivorous in nature. The leaves exhibit significant morphological variability, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 31.5 cm, and widths spanning from a narrow 0.4 cm to a maximum of 12 cm, resulting in a mean leaf width of 16 cm. These dimensions contribute to a mean leaf size of approximately 156.725625 cm², supported by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 216.325 cm²/g, which indicates the efficiency of its leaf tissue in relation to its biomass. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external nutrient availability to support its physiological processes.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf arrangement :

rosette

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

31.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf size mean:

156.725625 cm²

Leaf width max:

12 cm

Leaf width mean:

16 cm

Leaf width min:

0.4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

216.325 cm²/g

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Plantago major is characterized by a sexual process utilizing bisexual flowers that lack self-fertilization. The flowering period typically begins in June and extends through October, featuring small white flowers arranged in a spike-shaped inflorescence that ranges from a minimum length of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.25 m. The pollination syndrome is classified as abiotic, specifically relying on the wind for pollen transfer. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry, dehiscence-type capsules as its fruit type. These fruits are relatively small, with a mean length of 0.3 cm and a mean width of 0.2 cm. Each capsule is highly prolific, containing more than 1,000 seeds. The seeds themselves are minute, possessing a mean length of 1.5 mm and a mean mass of approximately 0.000203675 g (ranging from 0.0001 g to 0.0003 g). Seed volume varies significantly, with a mean of 2.2225 mm³, a minimum of 0.32 mm³, and a maximum of 7.7 mm³. Dispersal is achieved through a zoochorous syndrome, specifically via epizoochory, where seeds are transported by animals. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width mean:

0.2 cm

Inflorescence :

spike

Inflorescence length max:

0.25 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.03 m

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

1.5 mm

Seed mass max:

3e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000203675 g

Seed mass min:

1e-04 g

Seed volume max:

7.7 mm³

Seed volume mean:

2.2225 mm³

Seed volume min:

0.32 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Plantago major has 4 reported plant parts identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, flower, root.

Leaf

1. Scandinavian journal of immunology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Folia medica
4. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
5. Journal of infection in developing countries

Seed

1. Electronic physician
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. World journal of gastroenterology
4. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Flower

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Root

1. Iranian biomedical journal

Chemicals

Plantago major has 111 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Aucubin, linoleic acid, CD, Catalpol.

Flavonoids

1. Electronic physician
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. International journal of clinical practice
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
5. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Aucubin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
4. Electrophoresis

linoleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products
3. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

CD

1. Biological trace element research
2. Environmental science and pollution research international

Catalpol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electrophoresis

FE

1. Natural product communications
2. Biological trace element research

Fatty acids

1. International journal of clinical practice
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Plantamajoside

1. Electrophoresis
2. World journal of clinical cases

Terpenoids

1. International journal of clinical practice
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

allantoin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Activities

Plantago major has 576 reported activities identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antiviral, Analgesic, Antibacterial.

Antimicrobial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. International journal of clinical practice
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Iranian journal of kidney diseases
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Virology journal
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of clinical practice

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electronic physician

Antitussive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electronic physician

Conditions

Plantago major has 52 reported investigations on conditions identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, wound healing, wounds, antiviral, wound.

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Wound healing

1. Wound management & prevention
2. Wounds : a compendium of clinical research and practice
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Wounds

1. Electronic physician
2. Complementary therapies in clinical practice
3. Wound management & prevention

Antiviral

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Wound

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Wound-healing

1. Scandinavian journal of immunology
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Aids

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Candida albicans

1. Zhurnal mikrobiologii, epidemiologii i immunobiologii

E. coli

1. BMC chemistry

Hek-293 cell line

1. Iranian biomedical journal

Preparations

Plantago major has 39 reported preparations identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanolic extracts, extract, methanolic extracts, plant extracts, seeds.

Ethanolic extracts

1. Iranian biomedical journal
2. Parasitology research

Extract

1. Virology journal
2. Iranian journal of kidney diseases

Methanolic extracts

1. Chemotherapy
2. Iranian biomedical journal

Plant extracts

1. Archives of microbiology
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Seeds

1. World journal of gastroenterology
2. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

A hexane extract

1. Journal of natural products

Ch(2)cl(2) extract

1. Journal of natural products

Dichloromethane extract (dcm)

1. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

Extracts

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Nades extracts

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity