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CHAPTER 13 Plantains, Figworts, Foxglove and Speedwells

Dicotyledonous flowering plants in the orders (and families) Callitrichales
(Callitrichaceae, water-starworts), Plantaginales (Plantaginaceae, plantains)
and Scrophulariales (Oleaceae, the ash family; Scrophulariaceae, figworts;
Orobanchaceae, broomrapes; Lentibulariaceae, bladderworts) are included
in this chapter.

Callitrichaceae

Callitriche stagnalis Scopoli
common water-starwort
Europe, North Africa, North America; introduced into Australasia
A plant identified botanically as Callitriche stagnalis was found to be an ingre-
dient, along with chamomile and ragwort, in plasters used to promote the
formation of pus in wounds in the island of Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides
in the late nineteenth century.^1 Possibly it had been used in mistake for some
similar-looking herb.

Plantaginaceae

Plantago coronopus Linnaeus
buck’s-horn plantain
western and central Europe, western Asia, North Africa, Azores;
introduced into North America, Australasia
Though Plantago coronopus has shared in the Isle of Man^2 the reputation of
the genus more generally for staunching cuts and wounds, as P. m a r it ima
Linnaeus has in Cork,^3 it at one time acquired very special fame as an antidote