Dictionary:

plantain¹

  (plăn'tən)

Any of various plants of the genus Plantago that produce dense spikes of small greenish flowers, especially either of two Eurasian weeds, P. major or P. lanceolata. Also called ribwort.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin plantāgō, plantāgin-, from planta, sole of the foot (from its broad leaves).]

1. A large, tropical, treelike herb (Musa paradisiaca) of southeast Asia, resembling the banana and bearing similar fruit.
2. The fruit of this plant, used as a staple food in tropical regions.

[Spanish plátano, plántano, plane tree, plantain, from Latin platanus. See plane⁴.]

Recipe origin: Nigeria

Plantains are slightly larger than bananas and can be found in most supermarkets. When ripe, their skins are yellowish green or yellow (or black if extremely ripe). Plantains do not taste sweet, like yellow bananas.

Ingredients

• 4 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Salt, to taste

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan.
2. Place the sliced plantains in the frying pan and fry, turning as needed, until golden brown.
3. Drain on paper towels.
4. Season with salt and serve hot or warm.

Nigerians enjoy many different snacks that are eaten throughout the day. Some examples are fried yam chips, boiled groundnuts, and meat pastries. Akara, which is a puffy, deep-fried cake made with black-eyes peas, is sometimes eaten with chili dip. Other snacks are kulikui (small deep-fried balls of peanut paste), suya, a hot and spicy kebab, and a few sweets like chinchin (fried pastries in strips). Snack foods are an important part of a child's diet. Fresh fruits (mangoes are a favorite to many), fried bean cakes, cookies, or candy are commonly sold by street vendors. Snacks provide an opportunity for children to eat on their own, without having to share with siblings.

Adam's fig; variety of banana (Musa spp.) with higher starch and lower sugar content than dessert bananas, picked when the flesh is too hard to be eaten raw, and therefore cooked. Some varieties become sweet if left to ripen, others never develop a high sugar content. A 200-g portion is a rich source of vitamins B₆ and C; a good source of folate and copper; a source of selenium; provides 12 g of dietary fibre; supplies 240 kcal (1000 kJ).

Description

Plantain, Plantago major, was considered to be one of the nine sacred herbs by the ancient Saxon people, and has been celebrated in Anglo-Saxon poetry as the "mother of herbs." There are more than 200 species of plantain and nearly as many recorded uses for this humble herb. Plantain is native to northern and central Asia and Europe. Early colonists brought plantain to North America as one of their favored healing remedies. Native Americans called this persistent herb "white man's foot" as it is often found growing along well-trodden foot paths. The Latin generic name means "sole of the foot." The indigenous Americas adopted many of the traditional European uses for this beneficial herb. They also used the plant to draw out the poison of rattlesnake bite, to soothe rheumatic pain, as a poultice to treat battle wounds, and as an eyewash. They used the fresh young leaves and seeds in their diet.

Plantain is a member of the Plantaginaceae family. Some of the familiar species, naturalized throughout North America, are: Plantago major, commonly known as common plantain, dooryard plantain, broad-leaved plantain, greater plantain, round-leafed plantain, way bread, devil's shoestring, bird seed, snakeweed, and white man's foot; Plantago media L., known as hoary plantain; and Plantago lanceolata L., also known as English plantain, lance-leaf plantain, buckhorn, chimney-sweeps, headsman, ribgrass, ribwort, ripplegrass, hen plant, snake plantain, fire weed, and soldier's herb. Two species of plantain, valued medicinally primarily for the seed, are Plantago psyllium L. and Plantago indica, also known as flea seed and plantago. The dried, ripe seeds of these species, generally called psyllium, is high in mucilage and is widely used as a bulk-forming laxative.

Plantain is a hardy and prolific perennial found in fields, lawns, roadsides, footpaths, and marginal areas throughout the temperate regions of the world. It thrives even in poor, compacted soil. The sturdy leaves and flower stalks grow in a basal rosette directly from the mass of light-brown rootlets. Depending on the species, the leaves are broadly ovate or narrow and lance-like. The dark-green leaves have distinct, parallel ribs along their length and are slightly bitter to the taste. The yellow-green stamens and the rust-colored sepals of the tiny flowers encircle the wand-like spikes at the end of each stalk. Plantain's flower spikes resemble tiny cattail spikes. The yellow-green stamens are more prominent in P. lanceolata L., encircling the flower spike like a delicate wreath. The tapered flower spikes in this species are longer than those of P. major stretching up well beyond the height of the basal leaves. Plantain flowers from June through September. Blossoms are followed by flea-size, light-brown seeds. The plant may reach to 2 ft (0.6 m) in height, and self-seeds freely.

General Use

The leaves and seeds of plantain are most often used medicinally. The fresh leaves, crushed and applied to wounds, sores, insect bites, bee and wasp stings, eczema, and sunburn are healing to tissue because of the high allantoin content. Plantain is an ancient remedy used widely for relieving coughs, bronchitis, tuberculosis, sore throat, laryngitis, urinary infections, and digestive problems. The infusion has been used as a blood purifying tonic, a mild expectorant, and a diuretic. The juice from crushed leaves may also stem the flow of blood from cuts, and soothe the itch of poison ivy or the sting of nettle (Urtica dioica). The root of the herb has been used to relieve toothache. The juice may relieve earache. A decoction of plantain has been used in douche preparations to relieve leucorrhea, and the juice or infusion can ease the pain of ulcers and inflammation of the intestines. All plantains contain high amounts of mucilage and tannin, and have similar medicinal properties. Plantain is high in minerals and vitamins C and K.

Plantain is used throughout the world. It is an effective treatment for chronic colitis, acute gastritis, enteritis, and enterocolitis according to the Russian Ministry of Health. The German Commission E, an advisory panel on herbal medicines for that country, lists plantain as a safe and effective herb with demulcent, astringent and antibacterial properties. A poultice (salve prepared from the leaf) or an infusion used as a skin wash, have been shown to reduce pain, itching, and bleeding from hemorrhoids. Studies in Italy and Russia have confirmed plantain's usefulness as a weight-loss remedy. In Chinese medicine plantain is considered a remedy for male impotence. The species P. major and P. lanceolata contain mucilage, the iridoid glycosides cubin and catapol, flavonoids, tannins, and silica.

Plantain seeds, particularly those of the species P. psyllium and P. ovata soaked in water and ingested, are widely used as a gentle and safe bulk laxative and anti-diarrheal. Plantago seeds from these two species are listed in The United States Pharmacopoeia XXII as an official laxative herb. Psyllium is found in numerous commercial laxative preparations. Psyllium seed has also been proven beneficial in reducing high levels of blood cholesterol. Psyllium seeds contain a high mucilage content in addition to other phytochemicals including monoterpene alkaloids, glycosides, sugars, triterpenes, fixed oil, fatty acids, and tannins. The entire plant may be used with an alum mordant to dye wool a bronze-gold color. A newer use of plantain starch is in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals; like corn starch, plantain starch can be used as an inert ingredient to mix with drugs in order to form tablets containing consistent measured doses of the drugs.

Preparations

Harvest plantain leaves throughout the spring and summer, before the herb is in full blossom. Fresh young leaves may be eaten in salads or cooked as a potherb. The juice of fresh, bruised leaves has an antibacterial effect. However this property is lost when the herb is infused with boiling water. Harvest seeds when they can be easily removed from the flower spikes. Dry the leaves quickly to avoid discoloration and store in clearly labeled, dark glass containers.

Leaf infusion: Place 2–4 tbsp of fresh plantain leaf, half if dried, in a warmed glass container. Bring 2-1/2 c of fresh, non-chlorinated water to the boiling point, add it to the herbs. Cover. Steep five to seven minutes. No need to decoct plantain leaves. Drink warm or cold throughout the day, up to three cups per day. The prepared tea will store for about two days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.

Tincture: Combine 4 oz of finely-cut, fresh plantain leaf, or 2 oz dry, powdered herb with one pint of brandy, gin, or vodka, in a glass container. Cover and store the mixture away from light for about two weeks, shaking several times each day. Strain and store in a tightly capped, clearly labeled, dark glass bottle. A standard dose is 10–30 drops of the tincture in water, up to three times a day.

Precautions

Pregnant women should not use plantain, particularly the laxative psyllium preparations. Nursing mothers should consult a qualified herbalist before using psyllium or treating young children with the herb. Avoid inhaling psyllium seed powder as it may induce asthma attacks. Ingesting seeds without first soaking them in water may cause gastrointestinal problems. It is critical to drink large amounts of water when using psyllium, as the seeds absorb water in the intestine.

Persons who are interested in using herbal preparations as dietary supplements or to treat minor health conditions should note that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not subject herbal preparations to the same set of regulations applied to prescription drugs. It is up to the manufacturer to make sure that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. The FDA's role is that of post-marketing surveillance. Since the mid-1990s, there have been reports of herbal products that were mislabeled. In 1997, a young woman with a heart condition purchased a product that was labeled as "plantain" and experienced an abnormally rapid heartbeat. It turned out that the product was contaminated with digitalis, a powerful heart stimulant derived from foxglove. It is best to purchase herbs or herbal preparations only from established and reliable manufacturers. Questions about the safety of a specific product or reports of adverse reactions to a herbal product should be sent to the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, listed under Resources below.

Side Effects

Psyllium seed and plantain may cause allergic reactions in sensitive persons.

Interactions

Plantain has been reported to decrease the absorption of digoxin (a heart medication) and lithium from the intestine. Its Vitamin K content may interfere with blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants). Plantain should not be taken together with prescription diuretics as it increases the risk of potassium loss from the bloodstream (hypokalemia). Persons taking any of these prescription medications should consult a physician before taking plantain as a dietary supplement.

Resources

Books

Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper's Complete Herbal & English Physician. IL: Meyerbooks, 1990.

Duke, James A., Ph.D. The Green Pharmacy. PA: Rodale Press, 1997.

Elias, Jason, and Shelagh Ryan Masline. The A to Z Guide to Healing Herbal Remedies. Lynn Sonberg Book Associates, 1996.

PDR for Herbal Medicines. New Jersey: Medical Economics Company, 1998.

Pelletier, Kenneth R., MD. The Best Alternative Medicine, Part I: Western Herbal Medicine. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002.

Tyler, Varro E., Ph.D. Herbs of Choice, The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York: Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1994.

Periodicals

Alebiowu, G., and O. A. Itiola. "Compressional Characteristics of Native and Pregelatinized Forms of Sorghum, Plantain, and Corn Starches and the Mechanical Properties of Their Tablets." Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy 28 (July 2002): 663-672.

Organizations

American Botanical Council. 6200 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78714-4345. (512) 926-4900. .

Herb Research Foundation. 1007 Pearl St., Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302. (303) 449-2265. .

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740. (888) SAFEFOOD. .

[Article by: Clare Hanrahan; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD]

Botany

Botany

For more information on plantain, visit Britannica.com.

Bruised plantain leaves applied to a cut are said to stop it bleeding; more dubiously, an infusion of bucks horn plantain and honey or treacle was said in East Anglia to cure rabies; its flowers are among those which should not be brought indoors, on pain of causing one's mother to die (Vickery, 1995: 52, 161, 285). For the magic ‘coal’ allegedly found under its roots, see Midsummer.

Architectural ornament consisting of a wide flat leaf.

Two plant species are called by this common name. See plantago varia.

This article is about the fruit. For the small herb, see Plantago

Plantain
Ripe plantains at market.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Zingiberales Family: Musaceae Genus: Musa
Species
Musa × paradisiaca

A load of plantains in Masaya, Nicaragua

The plantain (pronounced [plan-tane] or [plan-tain]^[1]) is a species of the genus Musa and is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana (which is sometimes called the dessert banana). The population of North America was first introduced to the banana plantain, and colloquially in the United States and Europe the term "banana" refers to that variety. The word "banana" is often used incorrectly to describe other plantain varieties as well, when in fact the generic name is "plantain" and the specific varieties are cooking plantain, banana plantain, bocadillo plantain (the little one), etc. All members of the genus Musa are indigenous to the tropical region of South-east Asia, including the Malay Archipelago and northern Australia^[2].

Plantains tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content than dessert bananas and are used either when green or under-ripe (and therefore starchy) or overripe (and therefore sweet). Plantains are a staple food in the tropical regions of the world, treated in much the same way as potatoes and with a similar neutral flavour and texture when unripe. They are grown as far north as Florida, the Caribbean, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Egypt, and southern Japan or Taiwan and as far south as KwaZulu-Natal and southern Brazil. The largest exporter of plantains to the United States is Colombia. It is assumed that the Portuguese Franciscan friars were responsible for the introduction of plantains to the Caribbean islands and other parts of the Americas. The Spaniards, who saw a similarity to the plane tree that grows in Spain, gave the plantain its Spanish name, plátano.

Main article: List of banana and plantain diseases

Plantain flowers

Plantain will flower only once, and all the flowers grow at the end of its shoot in separate bunches. Only the first few bunches will become fruits. Those that do not become fruit are used for cooking, and are often chopped and fried with masala powder. In Vietnam the flower is used in salad. In Cuisine of Laos, the banana flower is typically eaten raw in vermicelli soups.

Plantain leaves

Lunch from Karnataka served on a plantain leaf. See Image for extended descriptions.

Traditionally plantain leaves are used like plates in several dishes, such as Venezuelan Hallacas, while serving South Indian Thali or during sadhya. They add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. The leaves are fairly widely available in grocery stores or open air markets in Venezuela and can exceed two meters in length. They are also used to stimulate appetite as a fragrant smell is given off when hot food is placed on top of the leaf. In Nicaragua they wrap their Nacatamales and also used for their Vigoron, Vaho and other dishes.. In Honduras and Colombia, these are usually used to wrap tamales before and while cooking, and they can be used to wrap any kind of seasoned meat while cooking to keep the flavor in. In the Dominican Republic, the plantain is the country's main food source and is used just as much if not, more than rice. Mangu and Sancocho are 2 signature dishes that revolve around the plantain.

Plantain leaves are similar to banana leaves but are larger and stronger, therefore reducing waste. They are lightly smoked over an open fire and this adds to their toughness, their storage properties and the flavour they give. With plantain leaves there is a lot less disposal (pieces too small to use) than with banana leaves, which makes them a better choice.

Plantain shoot

The plantain will only fruit once. After harvesting the fruit, the plantain plant can be cut and the layers peeled (like an onion) to get a cylinder shaped soft shoot. This can be chopped and first steamed, then fried with masala powder, to make an excellent dish.

Plantain as food

Plantains served over grilled pacu.

Rootstock

The rootstock which bears the leaves is soft and full of starch just before the flowering period, and it is sometimes used as food in Ethiopia; the young shoots of several species are cooked and eaten.

Fruit

Plantains can be used for cooking at any stage of ripeness, and very ripe plantain can be eaten raw. As the plantain ripens, it becomes sweeter and its color changes from green to yellow to black, just like its cousin the banana. Green plantains are firm and starchy, and resemble potatoes in flavor. Yellow plantains are softer and starchy but sweet. Extremely ripe plantains are softer, deep yellow pulp that is much sweeter than the earlier stages of ripeness.

Plantains in the yellow to black stages can be used in sweet dishes. Steam-cooked plantains are considered a nutritious food for infants and the elderly. Ripe plantain is used as food for infants at weaning: it is mashed with a pinch of salt and is believed to be more easily digestible than ripe banana.

Plaintain packing facility, circa 1900

The juice from peeling the plant can stain clothing and hands, and it can be very difficult to remove.

Dried flour

Plantains are also dried and ground into flour; banana meal forms an important foodstuff, with the following constituents: water 10.62, albuminoids 3.55, fat 1.15, carbohydrates 81.67 (more than ⅔ starch), fibre 1.15, phosphates 0.26, other salts, 1.60. The sugar is chiefly sucrose.

Drink

Plantain fruit can be brewed into an alcoholic drink.

Chips

Plantain chips

After removing the skin, unripe fruit can be sliced (1 or 2 mm thick) and fried in boiling oil, to produce chips. This preparation of plantain is also known as 'tostones' in some of Central American and South American countries and as platanutres in Puerto Rico. Tostones in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are twice fried patties (see below). In Cuba, the thinly sliced chips are referred to as 'chicharritas' or 'mariquitas,' (when sliced thinly along the long axis of the fruit) and tostones are also known as 'tachinos' or 'chatinos.' Both dishes are very popular as snacks and appetizers. In Ecuador and Peru they are called "chifles" with a thicker variant named "patacones." Chips fried in Coconut oil and sprinkled with salt is an important item in sadhya (a vegetarian feast) in the state of Kerala in India. The chips are typically labeled 'Plantain Chips' if they are made of green plantains that taste starchy like potato chips. In Honduras they are called tajadas. If the chips are made from sweeter fruit, they are called 'Banana Chips.' They can also be sliced vertically to create a variation known as Plantain Strips. Plantain chips are also a popular treat in Jamaica and in Nigeria (where it is called ipekere by the Yoruba). The Plaintains are used quite frequently in countries such as Cuba, Equador and Peru.

Maduros

After removing the skin, the ripened fruit can be sliced (3-4 mm thick) and pan fried in plantain oil and sprinkled with salt to produce Maduros. In Ecuador and Colombia they are also eaten baked in the oven. Some places, as in Puerto Rico, do not add salt.

Maduros are a delicacy in Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago (although just called plantain) and in Nicaragua. In Costa Rica they are sprinkled with sugar. In Western Nigeria fried sliced plantains are known as dodo, and in Cameroon, they are known as missole.

Banana Cue

In the Philippines, banana cue is one of the most popular snack items at home, school, office and just about anywhere in the archipelago where plantain is grown. Banana cue may be a misnomer as it is not really cooked in a skewer over a hot ember like a barbecue. Rather, the peeled flesh of underripe plantain are fried in a boiling oil over a medium fire before they are held in a skewer ready for sale. There are two ways to prepare a banana cue. One way is to fry the peeled banana in a boiling oil with some amount of brown sugar thrown in to caramelize the flesh. Another way is to fry the flesh in a boiling oil until done. When done, they are scooped out of the cooking pan and placed on a dripping pan to allow the oil to drip before a generous amount of refined sugar is sprinkled over them.

Tajadas

A typical Nicaraguan dish containing gallopinto, tajadas, fried cheese and cabbage.

In Venezuela and Panama, fried ripened plantain slices are known as "tajadas." They are customary in most typical meals, such as the Pabellón criollo. The host or waiter may also offer them as "barandas" (guard rails) in common slang - as the long slices are typically placed on the sides of a full dish, and therefore look as such. Some variations include adding honey or sugar and frying the slices in butter, to obtain a golden caramel; the result has a sweeter taste and a characteristic pleasant smell.

In Panama, "tajadas" are eaten daily together with steamed rice, meat and beans, thus making up an essential part of the Panamanian diet.

By contrast, in Nicaragua, "tajadas" are fried unripened plantain slices and are traditionally served in a fritanga or with fried pork, or on their own on green banana leaves, either with a cabbage salad or fresh cheese.

On Colombia's Caribbean coast, "tajadas" of fried green plantain are consumed along with grilled meats, and may be considered almost the dietary equivalent of the French-fried potato of Europe and North America.

Tostones / Patacones / Tachinos

Tostones as they are fried a second time.

Tostones are twice-fried plantain patties. Plantains are sliced in 4-cm (1.5-in) long pieces and fried in oil. The segments are then removed and individually smashed down either by hand or with a tostonera to about half their original height. Finally, the pieces are fried again and then seasoned to taste, often with salt. In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the tostones are often dipped for about a minute or less in water seasoned with garlic salt. In some South American countries, the name 'tostones' is used to describe this food when prepared at home and also plantain chips (mentioned above), which are typically purchased from a store.

While tostones are generally made using green plantains because of their lower sugar content, some Tostón recipes are also made using yellow (ripe) plantains. However, when tostones are made with ripe plantains, they are not pressed flat and are referred to as "Amarillos" in the Spanish islands. They are also known as "Maduritos" in the Dominican Republic, "Patacones" in Colombia^{[citation needed]}, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador,'Tachinos' or 'Chatinos' in Cuba and "Bannann Peze" in Haiti. Patacones may be served with sprinkled cheese, shredded meat and chopped salad on top, very much like a Mexican tostada.

Fufu de platano

Fufu de platano (fufu made from plantain) is a traditional and very popular lunch dish in Cuba. It is a fufu (thick porridge) made by boiling the plantains in water and mashing with a fork. The fufu is then mixed with chicken stock and sofrito, a sauce made from pork lard, garlic, onions, pepper, tomato sauce, a touch of vinegar and cumin.

Yo-Yo

In Venezuela, a yo-yo is a traditional dish made of two short slices of fried ripened plantain (see Tajadas) placed on top of each other with local soft white cheese in the middle (in a sandwich-like fashion) and held together with toothpicks. The arrangement is dipped in beaten eggs and fried again until the cheese melts and the yo-yo acquires a deep golden hue. They are served as sides or entrees.

These are also known as fried plantain in Belize and Jamaica.

Chifles

Chifles is the Spanish Term used in Ecuador and Peru for fried green Plantains sliced (1 or 2 mm thick), it is also used to describe Plantain Chips which are sliced thinner.

Mofongo

Popular in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, mofongo is made by mashing baked (sometimes fried) plantain in a mortar or food processor with garlic and pork crackling, chicken or beef stock and herbs. The resulting mixture is formed into balls and eaten warm.

Alcapurria

Alcapurria - A fried mixture of beef, plantains and other vegetables popular in Puerto Rico

Mangu

A traditional dish from the Dominican Republic, consisting of green plantains boiled, mashed and seasoned with butter or oil. It is traditionally eaten for breakfast or dinner, topped with sauteed onions and accompanied by fried eggs, cheese or salami.

Dodo

Plantain is popular in West Africa and especially Nigeria. There, plantain is usually sliced diagonally for a large oval shape, circularly or in little pyramids less than a centimeter thick. This is fried in oil and known as dodo.

Ipekere

Ipekere is the term used for fried unripe plantains in Nigeria. The plantain is usually thinly sliced and fried in hot oil and has a crunchy texture.

Boli

Boli is the term used for roasted plantain in Nigeria. The plantain is usually barbecued/grilled and served with roasted fish, peanuts and a hot palm oil sauce. Very popular as lunch snack in southern and western Nigeria for example Rivers and Lagos states. It is popular among the working class as a quick mid-day meal.

Pazham Boli or Pazham Pori

Pazham(banana) Boli or Pazham pori is a term used for fried plantain in Kerala India. The plantain is usually dipped in wheat flour and then fried in coconut or vegetable oil. Its a very popular snack among Keralites

Aloco

Plantains are used in the Ivory Coast dish aloco as the main ingredient. Fried plantains are covered in an onion-tomato sauce, often with a grilled fish between the plantains and sauce.^[3]

Production trends

Plantain output in 2005

FAO reports that Uganda was the top producer of plantain in 2005 followed by Colombia.

References

1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, 1989
2. ^ Musa species (banana and plantain)
3. ^ Aloco recipe. Aloco. congocookbook.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.

External links

• Plantain research at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
• Botanical.com: Plantain Fruit
• Banana and plantain section of Bioversity International

• Oke, O.L.; and J. Redhead, Dr M.A. Hussain (1998). Roots, tubers, plantains and bananas in human nutrition. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Informartion Network on Post-Harvest Operations (INPhO), 198. FAO code: 86, AGRIS: SO1, ISBN 92-5-102862-1. 

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - pisang

2.
n. - pisang

Nederlands (Dutch)
pisang, weegbree

Français (French)
1.
n. - (Bot) plantain

2.
n. - banane plantain

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - (bot.) Wegerich

2.
n. - (Koch)banane

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) πεντάνευρο

Italiano (Italian)
piantaggine, varietà di banano

Português (Portuguese)
n. - banana-da-terra (f)

Русский (Russian)
подорожник, банан

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - llantén

2.
n. - plátano

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - groblad, banan(växt)

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
1. 车前草

2. 大蕉

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 車前草

2.
n. - 大蕉

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 질경이

2.
n. - 요리용 바나나

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - オオバコ, プランタン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) لسان الحمل, آذان الجدي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮לחך, עשב רע‬
n. - ‮זן של בננה‬

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