French psyllium, Branched plantain
Plantago arenaria

Family: Plantaginaceae

What it is like

A short herb. It is an annual plant and is hairy. The stems are much branched. The leaves are narrow and opposite or in rings. They are 20-70 mm long by 1-3 mm wide. They are not fleshy and do not have teeth. The flowers are brownish-white and 4 mm long. They are in rounded clusters. The anthers are pale yellow.

The plantains or Plantaginaceae are mostly in temperate regions. There are about 165 Plantago species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry places usually on sandy soils. In China it grows between 100-3,500 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 500 m above sea level. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Argentina, Asia, Australia, Britain, Central Asia, China, Europe, France, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Middle East, North America, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Siberia, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Tajikistan, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Trpotec

Synonyms

Plantago ramosa; Plantago psyllium; Plantago indica;