Narrow plantain is a perennial plant of the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). There are more than two hundred plantain species, a number of which occur in the Netherlands, for example large, rough, toothed, sand, sea and deer horn plantain. Narrow plantain is the most common. Characteristic for plantain is the root rosette, from which the leaves sprout. The spike, which then shoots up from the rosette, stands on a grooved stem and is brown in color. The spike blooms with small yellow-white flowers, each of which usually produces three seeds. Flowering proceeds from the bottom up, with the pistils first and then the stamens visible. The white anthers, which are located relatively far outside the ear on the anthers, contrast nicely with the brown ear. If you look at it, it looks a bit like the collar of a seventeenth-century regent. The stem’s function as a drainpipe is ingenious. This one is not round, but dented so that it has a kind of gutter. When it rains, the water is collected by the leaves. The water runs along the veins to the stem and through the gutter to the heart of the plant, where the root is. This way the root gets all the rainwater that falls on the plant. This is also necessary, if the plant is placed between paving stones.
Wind pollination and host plant
The wind ensures pollination, although plantain is also visited by insects. They may rest on it and feast on the pollen. Nectar does not produce the plant. However, there are butterflies that visit it as a host plant and lay their eggs on it. The caterpillars that grow from this can eat up the plant nicely. The word inn comes from the function of innkeeper in an inn. There he is the host, who provides people with a snack and a drink. When we speak of a host plant, there is a clear preference for this specific plant in these insects and organisms.
The plantain provides food to the plantain bear. Plantain moth may seem like a better name, but bear refers to the precursor of this butterfly. It is then a hairy caterpillar, which looks somewhat bear-like with its brown fur. The plantain butterflies mentioned do not do themselves good on the plant. They lay tiny eggs on the leaves, from which the well-known ‘never enough caterpillars’ emerge. The plantain can handle it because it can always form new leaves.
Name
The Dutch word ‘plantain’ probably comes from ‘what makes itself wide at the road’. Common names for the narrow plantain include sheep tongues or hare ears. In the official name Plantago lanceolata do we recognize the word plantathe Latin word for sole of the foot. Plantago means ‘resembling the sole of the foot’, and that probably refers to the leaf shape. Lanceolata probably also refers to the shape of the leaves: lanceolate. But then, what does the shape of the leaf have to do with the sole of the foot? You can’t look like both, because I don’t believe there are lanceolate pads. Possibly saves lanceolate also on the medicinal effect of the plant in case of a stab wound, for example that of a lance. Plantain leaves are known to staunch wounds. But also with the word sole of the foot one can think of this healing effect. The Romans marching on the unpaved highways probably soon had wounds on their feet. So they put some plantain under the soles of their feet. They also allegedly put the mugwort plant in their sandals, for the same or perhaps different reasons.
In German the plant is called plantain, which could indicate that it is abundantly found along roads. It is indeed a plant that, although it cannot walk on its own, does walk along paths and roads with humans. The seeds of the plantain are somewhat sticky and are dispersed by passing animals. That can also be people. Hence the name given to the plant by the native people of North America: ‘trail of the white men’. In this way, the Europeans introduced this highly medicinal plant to America.
Origin and location
The area of origin of the narrow plantain is probably Asia Minor. Today it is spread all over the earth, wherever there is good breeding ground. The plant is common in Western Europe and is common in grasslands. It can also be found in ruderal soils, fields and reworked soils, and in the joints between paving stones. It actually grows everywhere where people live: in towns and villages, on farmyards, along roads and well-trodden paths. Not much in the woods and on the heath, but close to, for example, picnic areas or other places where many people stay.
Human consumption
Leave large-scale wild-picking to specialists, but it’s also nice to know: you can eat the very young leaves of narrow plantain raw. If the plant is a bit older but has not yet bloomed, the leaves can be used as a vegetable, in soups or for deep-frying with batter. The taste seems to be quite earthy. Older leaves are bitter, but that bitter taste disappears somewhat with cooking. The further preparation is difficult, because the leaves are very tough due to the strong vascular bundles. You better remove those. The seeds are ground into powder and then added to flour, for example, for a special taste. The fact that the plantain, which is not very tasty for many people, is still consumed, is related to the possible medicinal effect.
healing power
The use of narrow plantain against itching by nettles is known. The cure for the ailment is quickly at hand: narrow plantain is easy to find and usually has already reached maturity when nettles have activated their special defense mechanism. The leaves of the plantain must first be bruised. They also seem to help against insect stings and minor burns. Narrow plantain is also said to have antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, emollient, mild laxative and diuretic properties. So a whole laundry list. A tea or syrup of narrow plantain is said to help with inflammation in the throat and upper respiratory tract, as well as a cough and cold remedy. A poultice of soaked seeds, or the fresh juice of leaves diluted with chamomile tea, for example, is known to help with ulcers and eye and ear infections. A number of notable substances contained in the plant are discussed below.
mucilages
The leaves of the narrow plantain contain a lot of mucilage. These absorb water and then form a gel that can serve to protect tissues. The mucilage forms a protective layer, loosens stuck mucus and has a regulating effect. On the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, they have a soothing effect on the cough stimulus and therefore promote coughing. Narrow plantain also works against constipation. Mucous substances swell in the intestines and function as a kind of lubricant. Chemically speaking, mucilages are polysaccharides. These are polymers of sugar compounds – such as fructose and glucose – that are so long that they are not broken down in the intestines. As a result, they retain their beneficial effects. Two polysaccharides from narrow plantain are discussed in more detail here: arabinoxylan and pectin.
Arabinoxylaan
The seeds of narrow plantain contain arabinoxylans which consist of copolymers of two pentose sugars – sugars with five carbon molecules – namely arabinose and xylose. These are not chemically different from each other, but they are stereometrically. They can be left- or right-turning (R- or D-turning). When water is split off, the straight chains can form rings and ring-shaped esters are formed, which subsequently polymerize.
Pectin
The leaves of narrow plantain are high in pectin. Pectin consists of a main chain with side branches and is highly variable in both length and composition. The main chain consists of a polysaccharide and is made up of linked esterified galactonic acid molecules. The formula of pectin is simplified below. The side branches can consist of xylose, galactose and arabinose, which are often attached to the main chain in groups.
In fact, pectin as a mucilage is not much different from arabinose, but it is much better known. For example, gum arabic is a pectin and it is also a thickener for jam.
Glycoside and Aucubine
Aucubine is a substance that can be thought of as a skeleton of cyclopentane and pyran, to which an OH group and a COH group are linked, and of which the double bonded oxygen is glycosylated. The latter means that a sugar molecule or sugar group is attached to it. Aucubin can thus be classified under the large group of glycosides that occur in many plants. These are therefore made up of a sugar (the glycon) and a non-sugar (the aglycon).
tannins
The leaves of narrow plantain contain up to 6.5 percent tannin, also called tannin. This helps wounds heal faster and form new tissue. Tanning agents have an astringent and therefore astringent effect.
This wildlife report contains a lot of information about the common but inconspicuous narrow plantain. Bea Baak made a beautiful portrait of this plant for the Stoepplantjesalbum. Until the end of July, the original can still be seen in the City Museum in Grave, together with beautiful macro photos of other sidewalk plants. If you come across the plant on the sidewalk, sign it up for the sidewalk plant survey.
Text: Piet Rieff, Hortus botanicus Leiden
Photos: KU Leuven (lead photo: narrow plantain); André Biemans, Leiden University; Tineke
Other images: Piet Rieff; Natalie Tirion