Family: Plantain [Plantaginaceae]

Antirrhinum

Callitriche

Chaenorhinum

Cymbalaria

Digitalis

Erinus

Gratiola

Hebe

Hippuris

Kickxia

Linaria

Littorella

Misopates

Parahebe

Plantago

Sibthorpia

Veronica

A new and recent entrant to the Plantain Family is Foxglove, which was formerly allocated to the Foxglove and Figwort (Scrophulariaceae)Family (which sounds sensible, but is apparently now wrong according to taxonomists). But it must be said that Foxglove bears no visual semblance whatsoever to any other member of the Plantain Family, and one cannot even hazard a guess as to what feature(s) taxonomists have found in common between Foxgloves and Plantains. A great many Figwort Family Genus have moved from the Figwort Family [Scrophulariaceae] to other Families. Many, but not all, have been moved into either the Plantain [Plantaginaceae] or the Broomrape [Orobanchaceae] Families. The following Genera have moved from the Figwort Family [Scrophulariaceae] into the Plantain Family [Plantaginaceae]: Antirrhinum, Chaenorrhinum, Cymbalaria, Digitalis, Hebe, Kickxia, Linaria, Misopates and Veronica. In addition, the Water Starwort Family [Callitrichaceae] has been subsumed into this, the Plantain Family. It contained just one Genus: Callitriche. The Family Name Callitrichaceae has been retained in the AGPII system, albeit empty of Genera! It may be that the family Hippuridaceae has been similarly retained? Mare's-tail used to be in the Mare's Tail [Hippuridaceae] Family until taxonomists decided that the Plantain Family suited it better. There was just one Genus associated with it: Hippuris. The Veronica Genus is split up into 10 Sub-Genera: Beccabunga, Pseudolysimachium, Cochilidiosperma, Pellidosperma, Stenocarpon, Pocilla, Pentasepalae, Chamaedrys, Pseudoveronica and Veronica; all having the same Latinesque forename Veronica (V.) All this re-organization has caused chaos, not least in the book 'New Flora of the British Isles' by Clive Stace where only some of the Genera have been moved into other Families, leaving many others 'as was', particularly in the (now abolished) Veronicaceae, Callitrichaceae and Hippuridaceae ex-families. In the case of Speedwells, Veronicaceae no longer exists, and Speedwells are now in Veroniceae which is a Tribe within the Plantaginaceae family. The Plantain Family should not be confused with a plant of similar name that looks rather like a banana. The Plantain vegetables (not fruits, as are bananas) belong to the Musaceae Family, and have no representation in the UK.