Plantago maritima

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Plantago maritima
Plantago maritima.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Plantago
Species:
P. maritima
Binomial name
Plantago maritima
Synonyms [2]
  • Arnoglossum maritimum(L.) Gray
  • Plantaginella maritima(L.) Fourr.

Plantago maritima, the sea plantain, seaside plantain or goose tongue, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution in temperate and Arctic regions, native to most of Europe, northwest Africa, northern and central Asia, northern North America, and southern South America. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

It is a herbaceous perennial plant with a dense rosette of leaves without petioles. Each leaf is linear, 2–22 cm long and under 1 cm broad, thick and fleshy-textured, with an acute apex and a smooth or distantly toothed margin; there are three to five veins. The flowers are small, greenish-brown with brown stamens, produced in a dense spike 0.5–10 cm long on top of a stem 3–20 cm tall. [5] [6] [7]

Subspecies

There are four subspecies: [4] [7]

Ecology and physiology

In much of the range it is strictly coastal, growing on sandy soils. In some areas, it also occurs in alpine habitats, along mountain streams. [5] Some of the physiology and metabolism of this species has been described, of particular note is how the metabolism of this species is altered with elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. [8] [9]

Uses

Like samphires, the leaves of the plant are harvested to be eaten raw or cooked. [10] [11] The seeds are also eaten raw or cooked, and can be ground into flour. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). "Plantago maritima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T64320667A67730407. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T64320667A67730407.en . Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Plantago maritima". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "Plantago maritima". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  4. 1 2 Flora Europaea: Plantago maritima
  5. 1 2 Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN   0-340-40170-2
  6. ↑ Plants of British Columbia: Plantago maritima
  7. 1 2 3 Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Plantago maritima
  8. ↑ Davey, M. P.; Harmens, H.; Ashenden, T. W.; Edwards, R.; Baxter, R. (2007). "Species-specific effects of elevated CO2 on resource allocation in Plantago maritima and Armeria maritima". Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 35 (3): 121. doi:10.1016/j.bse.2006.09.004.
  9. ↑ Davey, M.; Bryant, D. N.; Cummins, I.; Ashenden, T. W.; Gates, P.; Baxter, R.; Edwards, R. (2004). "Effects of elevated CO2 on the vasculature and phenolic secondary metabolism of Plantago maritima". Phytochemistry. 65 (15): 2197–2204. Bibcode:2004PChem..65.2197D. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.06.016. PMID   15587703.
  10. 1 2 Plants for a Future , retrieved 9 November 2016
  11. ↑ Seymour, Tom, Foraging New England: Edible wild food and medicinal plants from Maine to the Adirondacks to Long Island Sound, 2nd ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing, 2013), pp. 2-4. See also: Seymour, Tom (June 2009), "Free Lunch: Foraging the Maine Seashore," Fishermen's Voice (Gouldsboro, Maine, U.S.A.).
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