Plantago major L.

Spice In the field

Family: PLANTAGINACEAE

Genus: Plantago

Catalan common name: Plantatge.

Spanish common name: Lengua de carnero. Llantén. Sietenervios.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Holoartica

Uses and properties: Medicinal.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte. Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Alterated zones with humid soils.

Characteristics: This is the largest plantain we can find in the islands; it has very broad leaves, up to 40 cm in length, with a very developed, slightly winged stalk. The spike of flowers is also very long, the flowers take up a large part of the leaf-stalk. It lives in slilghtly moist grasslands, in disturbed places. It flowers in summer and autumn.