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type genus of the family Plantaginaceae; large cosmopolitan genus of mostly small herbs

A plant genus of the family Plantaginaceae, order Plantaginales, subclass Asteridae, class Magnoliopsida. The small plants usually have a dense tuft of basal leaves and long, leafless stalks bearing a terminal spike of small flowers. The seeds, known as PSYLLIUM, swell in water and are used as laxatives. The leaves have been used medicinally.

The root and leaves of the common or large-leaved plantain, Plantago major; employed chiefly in eclectic practice in the treatment of nocturnal incontinence of urine, leucorrhea, and hemorrhoids, and especially, both topically and internally, in toothache and in earache.

Ord. Plantaginaceae. Sex. Syst. Tetrandria Monogynia. The leaves have been said to be refrigerant, attenuant, substyptic, and diuretic.