From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
1. a starchy tropical fruit resembling a banana, a staple of tropical cuisine, only eaten cooked. From the Latin planta, meaning "sole of the foot", because of the shape of the plant's leaves. Plantain can grow to 20 feet (6 m) in height; they were first grown in Southeast Asia, but are now grown extensively in India, Egypt, West Africa, the Pacific Islands and South America. 2. a bitter, but edible leafy plant native to North America, considered a wilderness-survival food by many backpackers, but a weed by many gardeners. With the stringy ribs and veins removed, the young leaves can be boiled or steamed for greens.
