Month: January 2012

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Herbs & Plants

Xanthorhiza simplicissima

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Botanical Name : Xanthorhiza simplicissima
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Xanthorhiza
Species: X. simplicissima
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales

Synonyms: Xanthorhiza apiifolia, Zanthorrhiza apifolia

Common Names :Yellowroot

Habitat : Xanthorhiza simplicissima  occurs in Eastern N. America – New York to West Virginia and south to Florida and Alabama.Shaded stream banks, moist woods, thickets, and rocky ledges from sea level to 1200 metres

Description:
Xanthorhiza simplicissima is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 3 m (9ft) at a fast rate. The leaves are spirally arranged, 10-18 cm long, each divided into 5 toothed leaflets, and flowers emerge only from the upper portion of the unbranched stem. The flowers are produced in broad panicles 6-20 cm long, each flower small, star-shaped, reddish brown to purple brown, with five petals.

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Yellowroot propagates asexually by sending out many underground runners, and it reproduces sexually with seeds.

It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from Mar to April. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid soils..It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist or wet soil.

Cultivation:
Requires a moist acid soil in sun or part shade. Prefers shade or semi-shade. Succeeds in any moist fertile soil according to other reports. Hardy to about -20°c[184]. Plants can spread considerably by means of suckers, especially when they are growing in a light soil. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.

Propagation  :
Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn . Sow stored seed in a cold frame in late winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in the autumn or late winter

Medicinal Uses:
Antihaemorrhoidal;  Astringent;  Stomachic;  Tonic.

The root is astringent and a blood tonic. A tea made from the roots is used to treat mouth ulcers, stomach ulcers, colds, jaundice etc. An infusion of the roots has also been used to treat piles, though the report does not specify if it is used internally or externally. Some caution is advised in the use of this plant, see the notes above on toxicity. The root contains the alkaloid ‘berberine’ which is used for its tonic properties and for digestive disorders. Berberine is anti-inflammatory, astringent, haemostatic, antispasmodic, immuno-stimulant, uterine tonic and antimicrobial. It stimulates the secretion of bile and bilirubin and may be helpful in correcting high tyramine levels in people with liver cirrhosis

Other Uses
Dye;  Ground cover.

A yellow dye is obtained from the root. The entire plant can be crushed to yield a yellow dye. A good ground cover for damp semi-shaded positions. Plants should be spaced about 1.2 metres apart each way .

Known Hazards : The root, when taken in high doses, is potentially toxic

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Xanthorhiza+simplicissima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowroot

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Inula britannica

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Botanical Name : Inula britannica
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Inula
Species: I. britannica
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Common Names: British elecampane, British yellowhead, and Meadow fleabane.Xuan Fu Hua

Habitat :Native to E. Asia – China and Japan. This plant occurs in wet habitats at low altitudes, including river and stream margins, marshes, ditches, wet grassland, and wet woods.

Description;
Inula britannica is a herbaceous  perennial plant, It is erect, ranging from 6 to 30 inches tall (15 to 75 cm). The stems may be densely covered with appressed hairs or almost
hairless. Inula britannica reproduces by seed, short rhizomes, and root fragments. It is considered to be a biennial or perennial. A common configuration is to have a mother plant surrounded by 8 to 10 “satellite plants” connected by rhizomes.

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Flowers: Flower heads are yellow, daisylike, and occur alone or in clusters of two or three. Flower heads are medium to large, 0.8 to 1 inch (2 to 5 cm) across. The bracts are linear, in 2 rows, hardly overlapping, green and soft. The rays are long and narrow, usually twice as long as the surrounding bracts. Individual flowers are surrounded by a single pappus of capillary (extremely fine)   hairs. They flower from July to August, but in greenhouses potentially all year. For correct identification, the features in bold must be examined.

Leaves: The leaves are sparsely pubescent (covered with hairs, especially soft downy hairs) on theupper surface and densely pubescent on the lower surface. Rarely the leaves are almost sericeous.

Cultivation:
Succeeds in a sunny position in any moderately fertile well-drained soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c. This sub-species is the form that is most used medicinally, it is cultivated as a medicinal plant in China[178].

Propagation:
Seed – sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, it is worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the spring or the autumn. Division in spring or autumn[

Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Leaves.

Leaves – cooked. An emergency food, it is only used when better foods are not available

Medicinal Uses:
Xuan Fu Hua is used in Chinese herbalism as a mildly warming expectorant remedy and it is especially suitable where phlegm has accumulated in the chest. The flowers are more commonly used, but the leaves are also used, generally for less serious conditions. The flowers are used internally in the treatment of bronchial complaints with profuse phlegm, nausea and vomiting, hiccups and flatulence. The flowers have an antibacterial action, but this can be destroyed by proteins in the body. The plant is harvested when in flower and can be dried for later use. The plant has been mentioned as a possible treatment for cancer of the esophagus.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:

Click to access ANR-1227.pdf

http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/FNWE2/key/FNW_Seeds/Media/Html/fact_sheets/Inula_britannica.htm
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

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Yellow Rattle

Rhinanthus minor
Rhinanthus minor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Botanical Name : Rhinanthus minor
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Rhinanthus
Species: R. minor
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales

Common Names ;Yellow Rattle or Cockscomb, Rhinanthus minor

Habitat : Rhinanthus minor is  native to Europe and Western Asia.Its preferred habitat is dry fields or meadows.In Ireland and Scotland, this species is often associated with Machair habitat.

Description:
Rhinanthus minor is a hemi-parasitic herbaceous annual plant that gains some of its nutrients from the roots of neighbouring plants. It grows to 25-50 cm tall, with opposite, simple leaves, with a serrated margin. The flowers are yellow, produced on a terminal raceme. The fruit is a dry capsule, which contain loose, rattling seeds when ripe; the plant’s name refers to these. Its flowering period is between June and September.

You may click to see the pictures.>....(01).……..(2).…...(1)


Research at the UK’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology has shown that encouraging Yellow Rattle to grow in hay meadows greatly increases biodiversity by restricting grass growth and thereby allowing other species to thrive. The seeds are spread very effectively by traditional hay-making practices.

It can be cultivated by scarifying the surface of the ground with a fork or similar, then sowing onto short grass, 0.5 to 1 gram of seed per square metre. Yellow Rattle seed is short-lived and should always be sown in the autumn, using seed harvested that year. Then, keep grass short for beginning of March when seedlings establish. Thereafter, the grass should not be cut until the end of July to allow the Yellow Rattle to flower and go to seed, then cut short.

Medicinal Uses:
The plant is ophthalmic.  Rhianthus has been reported to be an effective substitute for eyebright.  Used as an internal tea for colds and an external wash for the eyes.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinanthus_minor
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

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Clintonia borealis

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Botanical Name :Clintonia borealis
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Clintonia
Species: C. borealis
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales

Common Names : Blue-bead lily or Clintonia, also Clinton’s Lily, Corn Lily, Cow Tongue, Yellow Beadlily, Yellow Bluebeadlily, Snakeberry, Dogberry, Straw Lily

Habitat : The plant is native to the boreal forest in eastern North America, but is also found in other coniferous or mixed forests and in cool temperate maple forests. It is not found in open spaces, and only grows in the shade.

Description:
Clintonia borealis is a small (5–10 in) perennial plants, usually found in homogeneous colonies. At full growth, a shoot has 2–4 clasping and curved, slightly succulent leaves with parallel venation. The flowers are arranged in small umbels at the extremity of a long stalk. They have 6 stamens and 3 identical sepals and petals (tepals). In rare cases more than one umbel is found on a shoot or shoots from a clone. The fruits are small dark blue, lurid berries. A white-berried form (f. albicarpa) also exists.

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The plant reproduces via seed or vegetatively by rhizomes. Flowering in May and June and the bloom color is  Yellow , Green , Brown.  It takes over a dozen years for a clone to establish and produce its first flower, 2 years of which are dedicated solely to germination. The rhizome starts to mold after approximatively 15 years, but a colony often covers several hundred m². Few specimens establish new colonies.

Clintonia borealis is extremely slow to spread, but established clones can usually survive many later modifications, as long as sunlight remains limited. Whereas crossed pollination is more efficient in producing seeds, self-pollination will still produce seeds, allowing the plant to propagate.

Like other slow-growing forest plants, such as Trilliums, Blue-bead lily is extremely sensitive to grazing by White-tailed Deer.

Propagation: Usually propagated by dividing underground runners in fall or early spring, but may also be grown from seed planted immediately after ripening. Plant divisions 1 in. deep. Be careful when handling the rhizomes and roots, because they are brittle. Pulp-

Edible Uses:  The young leaves of the plant are edible while still only a few inches tall. The fruit however, is mildly toxic, and is quite unpleasant tasting.

Medicinal Uses:
The rhizome contains diosgenin, a saponin steroid with estrogenic effects.The plant contains diosgenin a chemical from which progesterone is manufactured. It is anti-inflammatory and Native Americans used it to treat injuries of various kinds from bruises to burns and infections. A root tea was used as a tonic and to aid in childbirth. The leaves are cardiac and disinfectant. A poultice has been applied to open wounds, burns, ulcers, scrofulous sores and infections.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clintonia_borealis
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CLBO3
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

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Achillea ageratum

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Botanical Name :Achillea ageratum
Family : Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus : Achillea L. – yarrow
Species: Achillea ageratum L. – sweet-Nancy
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom:Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order : Asterales

Common Name Mace, Sweet Yarrow

Habitat ;The origin of this plant is uncertain, it is possibly a hybrid, A. ptarmica x A. macrocephala. Grows in Europe – Greece

Description;
Achillea ageratum is a perennial herb, growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in).
It is  not frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
YOU MAY CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURES
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It cannot grow in the shade.It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Cultivation:
Succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position. It also succeeds in partial shade. Plants live longer in a poor soil. Established plants are very drought tolerant, they can show distress in very severe droughts but usually recover. Plants succeed in maritime gardens. Hardy to about -20°c. An excellent plant to grow in a large pot, the long stems will tend to arch down and continue to flower for a long time. The leaves have a pungent aroma, especially when the plant is grown in a hot sunny position. The plant is intermediate between A. millefolium and A. ptarmica in its characteristics. There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus.

Propagation :
Seed – sow spring or early autumn in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If this species is a hybrid it might not breed true from seed. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, the divisions can be planted direct into their permanent positions. Basal cuttings of new shoots in spring. Very easy, collect the shoots when they are about 10cm tall, potting them up individually in pots and keeping them in a warm but lightly shaded position. They should root within 3 weeks and will be ready to plant out in the summer.

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Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Condiment;  Leaves;  Tea.

Leaves – raw or cooked. The initial flavour is mild and pleasant, though it becomes stronger and aromatic when the leaves are chewed, and leaves a tingly sensation in the mouth. They make an acceptable addition to mixed salads, the plant is very productive, though the leaves are rather small and fiddly to pick in quantity. They are also used in soups, stews etc., and as a flavouring in potato salad etc . The aromatic leaves are used as a tea substitute .

Medicinal Uses
A chloroform extract from Achillea which includes stigmasterol and sitosterol was prepared. By comparing it with the pure compounds an anti-inflammatory effect (with mouse ears) is assumed. The topical anti-inflammatory effect of the chloroform extract from Achillea ageratum (Asteraceae) and of stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol, isolated of this extract has been evaluated, against to 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema, using simple (acute model) and multiple applications (chronic model) of the phlogistic agent. Myeloperoxydase activity also was studied in the inflamed ears. In the acute model the extract exerted a dose-dependent effect. All the doses assayed (1, 3 and 5 mg/ear) significantly reduced the edema (50%, 66% and 82%, respectively). The isolated sterols stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol (with doses of 0.5 mg/ear) had similar effect as the extract with doses of 1 and 3 mg (59% and 65% respectively). In the chronic model the anti-inflammatory effect generally was a more moderate one. The highest dose of the extract decreased the edema reduction to 26% with the highest dose of the extract applied. With the compounds the effect decreased to 36% with stigmasterol, and 40.6% with beta-sitosterol. Myeloperoxydase activity (MPO) was reduced by the extract and the compounds in the acute model, however, in the chronic edema, the enzyme inhibition was very weak with all treatments even with the standard substance. These results indicate that the chloroform extract of Achillea ageratum and some of the its components stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol are more effective as topical anti-inflammatory agents in acute than in the chronic process and their action is markedly influenced by the inhibition of neutrophil migration into inflamed tissue

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Achillea+ageratum
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACAG3
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Achillea_ageratum
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

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