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plantain |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Plantain \Plan"tain\, n. [F., fr L. plantago. Cf {Plant}.] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus {Plantago}, but especially the {P. major}, a low herb with broad spreading radical leaves, and slender spikes of minute flowers. It is a native of Europe, but now found near the abode of civilized man in nearly all parts of the world. {Indian plantain}. (Bot.) See under {Indian}. {Mud plantain}, a homely North American aquatic plant ({Heteranthera reniformis}), having broad, reniform leaves. {Rattlesnake plantain}, an orchidaceous plant ({Goodyera pubescens}), with the leaves blotched and spotted with white. {Ribwort plantain}. See {Ribwort}. {Robin's plantain}, the {Erigeron bellidifolium}, a common daisylike plant of North America. {Water plantain}, a plant of the genus {Alisma}, having acrid leaves, and formerly regarded as a specific against hydrophobia. --Loudon. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Plantain \Plan"tain\, n. [Cf. F. plantain-arbre, plantanier Sp pl['a]ntano, pl['a]tano; prob. same word as plane tree.] 1. (Bot.) A treelike perennial herb ({Musa paradisiaca}) of tropical regions, bearing immense leaves and large clusters of the fruits called plantains. See {Musa}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: plantain n 1: any of numerous plants of the genus Plantago; mostly small roadside or dooryard weeds with elliptic leaves and small spikes of very small flowers; seeds of some used medicinally 2: a banana tree bearing hanging clusters of edible angular greenish starchy fruits; tropics and subtropics [syn: {plantain tree}, {Musa paradisiaca}] 3: starchy banana-like fruit; eaten (always cooked) as a staple vegetable throughout the tropics
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