Most modern popular literature about the low growing herb we
often call plantain tends to focus on Plantago major (which is deemed to be of
European origins), while ignoring the many species which are endemic to North
America. In this on-going endeavor to
completely erase the native species from our minds, the claim is often set
forth that the Indigenous People learned to use plantain from the colonists and
settlers.
In an effort to set the record straight, I have collected a
little information on just a few of the indigenous plantains to share with you,
along with a few of their traditional tribal uses. There are actually very many native plantains
found in North America, as well as in other parts of the world. Plantago major is by no means the beginning
and ending of the plantain story.
Hopefully this small collection of information will inspire some of you
to do some research on the native plantains found in your areas or from your
own homelands. From there, you can search
out how your own ancestors or the original inhabitants of your area used the
plantains found near where you live.
More research, even on the Plantago species listed below will turn up a
wealth of information not included here.
“Plantain has been
consumed as human food since prehistory. For example, archaeological recovery
along
California's
Central Coast has demonstrated use of this species as a food since the
Millingstone Horizon.”
1. The
Millingstone Horizon is an
archaeological period in
California,
USA dated from
6500 to
1500 BC.
2.
The following information is based on a
search of on-line documents, and is not based on my experience with any of the
species discussed. My purpose in
undertaking this little project was to expand the discussion on the medicinal
and edible Plantago species of North America, and to encourage interested
persons to do further research. Before
using any unfamiliar plant for any purpose one must be very sure of their
identification, and they must be knowledgeable about possible toxic
look-a-likes in their area. Before
ingesting or otherwise using any unfamiliar plants, double checking
identification with a knowledgeable person who has long been in the habit of
using them for your intended purpose is not only wise, it may save your life. Don’t depend only on information on websites
and in books to determine what use for food or medicine. Be careful!
~~~
Selected North American native Plantago
species:
Plantago cordata
This
indigenous plantain was primarily found in or near wetlands in the mid-west,
great lakes, Appalachian, and East Coast areas of the US and up into Canada. This lovely large Plantago was an important
food and medicine plant of the Indigenous people wherever it was found. It is currently a sought after ornamental
plant for wetland type gardens. It has
become rare, threatened, endangered or absent throughout much of its former
range. It is sensitive to the loss and
degradation of habitat, grazing, and climate change.
Range:
Photo:
Ethnobotany:
“A discussion of the ethnobotany and
economic uses of P. cordata, long reputed as a medicinal plant, is provided by
Tessene (1969).” “Tessene, M. 1969. Systematic and
ecological studies on Plantago cordata. Mich. Bot. 8: 72-104”
Edible:
(Also see the sources shared directly below
under “Medicinal.”)
Medicinal:
~~~
Plantago maritima
Is one of
the smaller statured indigenous plantains that you might miss if you don’t know
what you are looking for. It is endemic
to coastal and cool temperature areas of the US and it is wide spread
throughout Canada, where it is relished as a tasty wild edible.
Range:
Photo:
Ethnobotany:
Edible:
“ . . . young leaves are cooked as a spring
green and occasionally sold in markets . . .”
Young leaves
raw or cooked, seeds as flour extender:
Note:
It
appears this plant is primarily used as a food rather than a medicine by both
Indigenous people and settlers and their descendants. No information on medicinal uses was found.
~~~
Plantago patagonica
Of small to
medium stature compared to other indigenous plantains, it sports fuzzy leaves,
is adapted to a variety of climate zones, and was much used as a medicinal and
cultural plant.
Range:
Photos:
Ethnobotany:
“. . . Plantago
patagonia is the basis for a boy’s game called horse race. Boys would place
bets and run as fast as they could for a certain amount of time in search of
the longest flowering stem for this Plantago.
After the set amount of time had passed, the boy with the longest stem
won and collected the bets.”
Also: “A number of infrequent and several common
plant Species on the Kiowa National Grassland have potentially important plant
biochemicals. Among the plant genera on
our checklist with such a potential are: . . . Plantago . . . and others.”
Note:
This plant does
not seem to have been adopted into non-Native medicinal or edible usage.
~~~
Plantago rugelii
Rugel's plantain is native to
much of the Central, Southern, Eastern and Northern areas of the US and it
extends its territory up into the North Eastern areas of Canada. It is often confused with Plantago major, to
the extent that many photos of Plantago major are actually Plantago
rugelii. Fortunately, it seems that they
can be used interchangeably as food and medicine—which is a good thing, because
it there is a lot of that, apparently,
going on. In many areas Plantago rugelii
has larger populations and is more wide spread than the P. major of “White
man’s foot” infamy. In fact, this
indigenous plant seems to have followed those foot prints across the country,
it can now be found in many areas beyond its original range. Check the link for Photos directly below to learn how to tell these plants apart.
Range:
Photos:
Ethnobotany:
Iroquois
Medical Botany - Page 211,
gives a number of traditional uses, see Google Books Result:
Edible:
Medicinal:
”Plantain seeds contain up
to 30% mucilage which swells up in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and
soothing irritated membranes. Sometimes the seed husks are used without the
seeds. A poultice of the fresh leaves is used to treat burns and
inflammations.”
Other:
Its use as a
dye material is documented here:
~~~
Plantago virginica
Slightly
fuzzy medium sized to small species endemic through a wide area of the
continental US. There are only eight states where it is not found, including a
few each of the Northern, Desert, and Central States. It is generally classified as a winter
annual. It grows during the cool moist
season, sets seeds to grow the following year, and expires in summer’s heat.
Range:
Photos:
Ethnobotany:
“The whole plant with roots is boiled to make a tea
which is given to children suffering from dysentery.” ‘Catawba Herbals and Curative
Practices,’ by Frank G. Speck. http://www.jstor.org/stable/535753
Edible:
Medicinal:
~~~
White
Man’s Footprint?
The historical basis for the moniker, “White Man’s Foot,”
being attributed
to some plantains probably
stems from the Latin roots of the botanical name for this group of plants--Plantago.
Plantago comes from “Planta,” which in Latin
means “sole of the foot” and “ago” which is a suffix that means “sort of.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago
A very few descendants of North American tribal people, and
possibly even some tribes, have adopted this common name (or some derivative) for Plantago major—English plantain. We see, however, by the botanical name that
European people have long associated the Plantago species with their own feet
or footprints. It is unlikely that very
many Indigenous people would have come up with this name on their own, since
they were using native Plantago species for long before they adopted the English
language or had contact with English speaking people. It is further very unlikely that very many Indigenous
persons would have needed to learn uses of plantain from settlers, as Plantago species
were wide spread and commonly used throughout North America prior to contact. Please see the short entry below, as an
example.
~~~
Navajo
Names for Plantain:
hastoi
ci-ye'r--old man's queue: . . . Plantago argyrea
bi'hi-lja'?-deer's
ears: . . . Plantago major
?alii:
be'yi.c'oI:-urine spurter (diuretic): .
. . Plantago major
If you are
patient you could also find Navajo uses at this page:
Note: All the tribes that use the
plantains have names for the plants in their own languages. Check with your Tribal Language Department
or Language Specialist to find resources that may help find the traditional
names for the plantains used in your area.
University ethnobotany collections are also a good source of
information.
~~~
Sources cited in introduction:
~~~
The
End!
End Notes:
If you find typos, broken links, or layout problems--please feel free to leave
a comment. I will fix them as soon as I
can.
If you use any of the native plantains for food, medicine,
or utility—and it isn’t closely guarded tribal intellectual property—please
feel free to share.
