Plantago maritima

Sea plantain

Plantago maritima, commonly known as sea plantain, is a resilient perennial herb native to coastal regions. Characterized by its fleshy, lance-shaped leaves, this salt-tolerant species thrives in sandy habitats. Historically valued in traditional medicine, it possesses anti-inflammatory properties, making it a significant botanical subject in coastal ecology and phytotherapy.

  • Scientific name: Plantago maritima
  • Family: Plantaginaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Plantaginaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Plantago.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Lamiales WCVP
Family Plantaginaceae WCVP
Genus Plantago WCVP

Common Names

This plant, known scientifically as Plantago maritima, is recognized by various local names across different regions and languages. In Poland, it is referred to as Babka nadmorska, while in French-speaking areas, it is called Plantain maritime. It is known as Подорожник морской in Russian, and in the Frisian language, it is identified as Südjen. Additionally, in Finland, the species is commonly known as merirataamo.
Language Common Name Source
pl Babka nadmorska Wikidata
fr Plantain maritime Wikidata
ru Подорожник морской Wikidata
frr Südjen Wikidata
fi meriratamo Wikidata
uk Морський подорожник Wikidata
et rand-teeleht Wikidata
de Strand-Wegerich Wikidata
csb Lepiónk Wikidata
hsb Přimórski putnik Wikidata

Distribution

This plant is primarily found across several regions within Northern Europe. Its distribution includes the coastal areas of Denmark and the islands of Føroyar. It also thrives in the unique environments of Iceland and Finland. Additionally, the species can be identified throughout Great Britain. These locations highlight its preference for the northernmost reaches of the continent.

Region Area Source
Northern Europe Denmark WCVP
Northern Europe Finland WCVP
Northern Europe Føroyar WCVP
Northern Europe Great Britain WCVP
Northern Europe Iceland WCVP
Northern Europe Ireland WCVP
Northern Europe Norway WCVP
Northern Europe Sweden WCVP
Middle Europe Austria WCVP
Middle Europe Belgium WCVP

Chemicals

Plantago maritima has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include phenolic acid, pigment, rosmarinic acid, terpenoid.

Total chemicals
4
Scientific sources
4

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
phenolic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
pigment 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rosmarinic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
terpenoid 1 ★☆☆☆☆