Plantago asiatica

Plantago asiatica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Asterids
Order:Lamiales
Family:Plantaginaceae
Genus:Plantago
Species: P. asiatica
Binomial name
Plantago asiatica

Plantago asiatica, is a self-fertile,[1] perennial flowering plant[2] of genus Plantago.[3][4] It is in flower from July to August.[1] The plant is native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, etc.). It grows really well in disturbed areas like roadsides or even dirt roads.[5]

Common Name: Chinese plantain, obako, arnoglossa

Description

This plant is a perennial herb that grows to 20–60 cm high, and has big roots. Its leaves, which gather on the ground, have oval blades and are 11–12 cm long and 4–9 cm wide, with obtuse apex and base, and 5 smooth main veins from the leaf base. The petioles are almost the same length as the blades. The plant has erect spikes of 20–45 cm high, with many small, white, hairless flowers, and oval sepals that are 1.8–2 cm long, tube corolla with 5 oval lobes, and 4 stamens. The fruits are oval-shaped pyxis of 3.5 mm high and 2 mm wide, which have 4 black seeds inside that are up to 1.8 mm long.[6]

Medicinal use

This plant was traditionally used in Asian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of liver disease.[7] Its seeds have a mild laxative effect.[8]

Culinary use

The leaves of the plant are used in many Japanese dishes, especially soups.[8] In Vietnam, the young leaves are boiled, fried, or made into soup with meat or prawns.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Plantago asiatica". naturallineus.com.
  2. ↑ "Plantago Asiatica Herb Uses, Benefits, Cures, Side Effects, Nutrients". Herbpathy.
  3. ↑ "Plantago subg. Plantago". Retrieved November 23, 2006.
  4. ↑ "Taxonomic subtree rooted by TaxID 197796 (Plantago asiatica)". Retrieved November 23, 2006.
  5. ↑ "{title}". Archived from the original on 2014-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
  6. 1 2 Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Van Ke, Nguyen (2007). Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden. Thailand: Orchid Press. p. 114. ISBN 9745240893.
  7. ↑ "{title}". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
  8. 1 2 Willcox, Bradley and Willcox, Graig. The Okinawa Diet Plan
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