'128 PLANTAGINE^, 



PLANTAGO MAJOR, L 



mil. 



Fig.— WigM III, t. 177; Eng. BoL, 1558. Greater IMan- 

 tain {Eng.), Grand Plantain [Fr.). 



Hab. — Temperate India, Persia, Europe. The seeds. 

 . Vernacular. — Bartang, Barliang {Indian bazars). 



History, Uses, &C. — Under the name of ap'oyXwao-ovDios- 

 corides describes two yarieties of Plantago, the greater and the 

 lesser, and states that the first is the best and most generally 

 ^used. These plants were known to the Homans as Plant; ^ , 

 according to Sibthorp are the P. lagopits and P. altissima of 

 modern botany ; they were considered to be very effectual in 

 arresting the fluxes known by the Greeks as '^rheumatismi,'* 

 or ^'griping pains in the bowels" [Plin. 25, 39 ; 26, 47), The 

 leaves and roots were considered to be astringent and febri- 

 iuge {Galen). The Arabian physicians describe them under 

 the name of Lisan-el-hamal, and state that they are the 

 Sabaat-azlaa and Kasrat-el-azlaa of Dioscorides (Arabic trans- 

 lations of cTTraTrXeupoi^j tiiid. TToXvuevpov) meaiiino- ^ sevcn- ribbed and 



'many-ribbed' ; they repeat what the Greeks have written with a 

 few trifling additions. The seeds of P. ma^or are largely 



mi 



as a remedy for dysentery. Valentine Baker states that he 



^was cured by these seeds when suffering from the disease during 



his travels in.Khorasan. The root and leaves are still in use in 



Europe as domestic remedies on account of their mucilaginous 



properties. 



P. Psvllium 



Punjab^ extending to Southern Europe, are used in a similar 

 manner. This plant is often stated to be the source of the 



Persian Bdrhang, but we have always obtained P. major by 

 sowing these seeds. 



Description. — The seeds are minute, oblong and brown, 

 marked witb waved, slightly elevated, longitudinal ridges of a 

 Jo^Vo. ^^XoMT ; one side is arched, the other concave and marked 



darker 



