This perennial is not usually a weed and is found mainly in meadows and on roadside verges. It is not as tolerant of trampling as P. major.
Ribwort Plantain has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times. The crushed leaves can be used to staunch blood-flow from a wound, it is antiseptic and washed with boiling water they can be applied as a poultice to promote healing. An ointment or lotion treats haemorrhoids and ulcers. Internally it is used for diarrhoea, irritable bowel, congestion and as a diuretic. The Saxons listed hundreds of ailments that could be treated with it.
Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, but they are bitter and fibrous. The seed can be cooked like sago or ground into a flour.
The leaves are lanceolate in shape with veins running lengthwise giving them the 'rib' effect. The fibrous roots do not regenerate or spread around - the perenniating part is the basal crown.
The small, brown flowers appear in late spring to early summer. They are held aloft on a deeply furrowed stem which can be up to 45 cm tall, and they are wind-pollinated. The anthers are a buff colour and protrude from the sides of the infloresence
The leaves are astringent and can be used for wound healing, similar to its Broad-leaved cousin

If removal is necessary the plant is easily uprooted or it can be treated with a systemic, or a selective weedkiller.