Blossom plantain is a stunted plant from the Podorozhnikov family. It is also called a flea. The climate of Russia is not suitable for the natural growth of culture. Feels good in the Poltava and Sumy region of Ukraine. He prefers to grow on dry slopes.
Despite the inconspicuous appearance, the absence of beautiful inflorescences, the plant is very useful for humans. In many countries, including Ukraine, it refers to medicinal species. It is a pharmacopeia species of GF XI. Flea plantain is worth exploring in more detail.
Plant description
The culture has an unsightly appearance. It looks like green sticks with small flowers on top and sharp leaves sticking out in all directions. By herself, she drowns out other cultures and does not cause admiration among gardeners.
The height of the grass of plantain flea is ten to forty centimeters. The stem is branched; its upper part is abundantly pubescent. The sheet is about five centimeters long and up to three centimeters wide. Its shape is linear, one-piece. On the sheet there is pubescence.
The root is root, there are few branches on it. Grass is used in herbal medicine.
Flower
Peduncles of the flea plantain have thick, small heads made of small white flowers. At the top of the stem, they form something similar to an umbrella frame. Flowering occurs in June.
Fetus
After flowering, a fruit is formed near the flea plantain. Its size is three to five millimeters. The box is closed with a lid resembling a cone. Two seeds develop in it. It ripens in July-September, after which the seeds fall out of it. A temporary spread in ripening is associated with a prolonged flowering and setting period.
Seeds
The description of the seeds of flea plantain should be given special attention, since they are used in herbal medicine. Their color is dark brown, very dark. Seeds have a shiny, smooth, slippery surface. Their shape is scaphoid, elongated. The edges of the seeds are bent inward. This makes them convex on one side and slightly concave on the other. In the middle of the concave part is a scar. It looks like a bright spot.
The average seed length is two millimeters, the width is one millimeter. Two thousand seeds usually weigh one gram.
They have neither taste nor smell. If you moisten the seed with water, it becomes mucus. This is due to the substance that is contained in the outer layer of its shell.
Seeds are collected at the time of their full ripening. Only those that are in the side branches are considered suitable. They should not get enough sleep from the box. Unripe seeds can be dried, and they will also be suitable for use.
When collecting seeds on an industrial scale, they are packed in bags of thirty kilograms. Harvest sent to pharmaceutical factories. What is the use of seeds, their husks and grass itself?
The chemical composition of the plant
To understand the beneficial properties of flea plantain, it is worth knowing what its seed consists of. It includes the following components:
- Aucubin is an iridium glycoside;
- protein (25%);
- oil (20%);
- beta sitosterol;
- linoleic acid;
- mineral salts;
- starch.
It is because of the high starch content that seeds come into contact with water through mucus. In some, the starch content reaches 40%.
Preparation of medicinal raw materials
The grass is used in dry form and to obtain juice. You need to get it during the day, while the grass is fresh. Leaves are harvested when the plant blooms violently. They are dried under a canopy.
Seeds must be collected and dried. The weather should be clear and dry. If the slightest moisture gets on them, they will become mucilous, it will be impossible to grind them. It is recommended to lay them out with a layer of no more than ten centimeters. Seeds must be flipped regularly. At least once a day. Good seeds after drying should have a brownish-red tint. Their luster and smoothness is maintained.
