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Herbs & Plants

Frasera caroliniensis

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Botanical Name: Frasera caroliniensis
Family: Gentianaceae
Genus: Frasera
Species: F. caroliniensis
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Gentianales

Synonyms: American Calumba.  Radix Colombo Americanae. Frsera Walteri. Frasera Canadensis. Faux Colombo.

Common Name : American Columbo

Habitat: Frasera caroliniensis grows in dry upland areas, rocky woods and areas with calcareous soil, though it is not limited by soil texture or other soil characteristics.The species ranges from deciduous forest regions in southern Ontario, through southern Michigan, northern Indiana, southern Illinois, southern Missouri, southeast Oklahoma, southwestern Arkansas, and northern Louisiana. This plant is native to Eastern N. America – New York to Ontario and Wisconsin, south to Georgia and Tennessee
Description:
Frasera caroliniensis is a monocarpic perennial plant, meaning it flowers once after multiple seasons, and then dies. It is a plant of from 4 to 9 feet in height, with a smooth, erect stem, bearing lanceolate leaves in whorls, and yellowish-white flowers in terminal panicles. The roots are triennial, horizontal, long, and yellow. They should be collected in the autumn of the second or the spring of the third year and cut into transverse slices before being dried. When sliced longitudinally they have been put on the market as American Gentian, and when fresh, their properties closely resemble Gentiana Lutea, the European Yellow Gentian. The sliced root as found in the market has a reddish-brown epidermis, yellow cortex and spongy centre. The taste is slightly bitter and saccharine. It may be distinguished from true Colombo Root by the absence of concentric circles, and the smaller, thicker slices….click  & see the picture

When it reaches the flowering stage, the leaves develop in whorls on an elongated stem, and approximately 50 to 100 flowers will develop a panicle, with the fruits maturing soon after. The flowers that it produces are folious (tall and “spike”-like), green to yellow in colour with purple speckles. It is a perfect and complete flower, with four stamens and two carpels. The entire plant can reach heights over 2 metres (7 ft). Though it is monocarpic, the plant may live for up to 30 years before flowering.

The roots of F. caroliniensis are a taproot system, with a thick and fleshy taproot, and in some Frasera species, this may be modified into a branched rhizome. The leaves of F. caroliensis are carried on stalks (“petiolate”) and have a thick, waxy texture.

Cultivation: Requires a moist but well-drained position and a stony peaty soil. Requires an acidic soil. Plants are hardy to at least -12°c. Plants can be grown in a woodland garden.

Propagation: : Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse. 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 late winte

Part Used in medicine : The dried root.

Constituents: The root contains a peculiar acid, bitter extractive, gum, pectin, glucose, wax, resin, fatty matter, and yellowcolouring matter.

It may be distinguished from Calumba by the absence of starch (though it contains tannin), and by its change of colour when treated with sulphate of iron, remaining unchanged by tincture of iodine or galls. It has not the pectine of gentians.

Medicinal Uses: Tonic, cathartic, emetic stimulant. When dried it is a simple bitter that may be used in a similar way to gentian. In its fresh state it is cathartic and emetic.

Medicinal uses for American columbo have mostly been rebutted. However, it was a common belief in the early 19th century that the root of the plant might be externally used for gangrene. It was also claimed to be useful in treating jaundice, scurvy, gout and rabies.
The powdered plant is applied externally to ulcers as a poultice. The plant is a feeble simple bitter. The root is cathartic, emetic, stimulant and tonic. When dried it is a simple bitter that can be used as a digestive tonic in a similar way to gentian root (Gentiana spp), but the fresh root is cathartic and emetic. The root is used in the treatment of dysentery, stomach complaints and a lack of appetite. It should be harvested in the autumn of its second year, or the spring of its third year.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frasera_caroliniensis
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/coluam90.html

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Frasera+caroliniensis

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Jute

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Botanical Name:Corchorus capsularis
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Grewioideae
Genus:     Corchorus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order:     Malvales

Common Name : Jute
Habitat :Jute is native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world.A tropical plant in essence, Jute thrives in hot, humid conditions and in soils that have high levels of sand and clay. It is little wonder then, that the Ganges River Delta is at the centre of global Jute production. This area also encounters heavy rainfall during the monsoon season that further benefits Jute growth and the reliability of a good crop.

Description:
Jute plants are tall, usually annual herbs, reaching a height of 2–4 m, unbranched or with only a few side branches. The leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate, 5–15 cm long, with an acuminate tip and a finely serrated or lobed margin. The flowers are small (2–3 cm diameter) and yellow, with five petals; the fruit is a many-seeded capsule. It thrives almost anywhere, and can be grown year-round.

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Jute plant has about 40–100 species, including:
Corchorus aestuans
Corchorus capsularis
Corchorus carnarvonensis
Corchorus cunninghamii
Corchorus erodiodes
Corchorus junodi
Corchorus olitorius
Corchorus sidoides
Corchorus tridens
Corchorus walcottii

Cultivation:
Jute needs a plain alluvial soil and standing water. The suitable climate for growing jute (warm and wet) is offered by the monsoon climate, during the monsoon season. Temperatures from 20 degree cent. to 40degree cent. and relative humidity of 70%–80% are favourable for successful cultivation. Jute requires 5–8 cm of rainfall weekly, and more during the sowing time.

Edible Uses:
In Nigeria, leaves of Corchorus olitorius are prepared in sticky soup called ewedu together with ingredients such as sweet potato, dried small fish or shrimp. The leaves are rubbed until foamy or sticky before adding to the soup. The leaves of the Jute plant are widely used in Nigeria to prepare a sticky soup. Amongst the Yoruba of Nigeria, the leaves are called Ewedu, and in the Hausa-speaking northern Nigeria, the leaves are called turgunuwa or lallo. The jute leaves are cut into shreds and added to the soup which would normally contain other ingredients such as meat and/or fish, pepper, onions, and other spices. Likewise, the Lugbara of Northwestern Uganda eat the leaves as soup, locally called pala bi. Jute is also a totem for Ayivu, one of the Lugbara clans.

In the Philippines, especially in Ilocano-dominated areas, this vegetable, locally known as saluyot, can be mixed with either bitter gourd, bamboo shoots, loofah, or sometimes all of them. These have a slimy and slippery texture.

In Bengal the leaf is used and cooked as  jute vegetable called as pat shak.

Chemical Constituents:
Per 100 g, the leaves are reported to contain 43-58 calories, 80.4-84.1 g H2O, 4.5-5.6 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 7.6-12.4 g total carbohydrate, 1.7-2.0 g fiber, 2.4 g ash, 266-366 mg Ca, 97-122 mg P, 7.2-7.7 mg Fe, 12 mg Na, 444 mg K, 6,410-7,850 ug beta-carotene equivalent, 0.13-0.15 mg thiamine, 0.26- 0.53 mg riboflavin, 1.1-1.2 mg niacin, and 53-80 mg ascorbic acid. Leaves contain oxydase and chlorogenic acid. The folic acid content is substantially higher than that of other folacin-rich vegetables, ca 800 micrograins per 100 g (ca 75% moisture) or ca 3200 micrograms on a zero moisture basis (Chen and Saad, 1981).
The seeds contain 11.3-14.8% oil (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962), reportedly estrogenic (Sharaf et al, 1979), which contains 16.9% palmitic-, 3.7% stearic-, 1.8% behenic-, 1.1% lignoceiic-, 9.1% oleic-, 62.5% linoleic-, and 0.9% linolenic- acids as well as large portions of B, Mn, Mo, and Zn.

Medicinal Uses:
While perhaps better known as a fiber crop, jute is also a medicinal “vegetable”, eaten from Tanganyika to Egypt. Dried leaves  are used in soups under the Arabic name  “Molukhyia.” In India the leaves and tender shoots are eaten. The dried material is there  known as “nalita.” Injections of olitoriside markedly improve cardiac insufficiencies and  have no cumulative attributes; hence, it can serve as a substitute for strophanthin.

Reported to be demulcent, deobstruent, diuretic, lactagogue, purgative, and tonic, tussah  jute is a folk remedy for aches and pains, dysentery, enteritis, fever, dysentery, pectoral  pains, and tumors (Duke and Wain, 1981; List and Horhammer, 1969-1979). Ayurvedics.

The leaves are used for ascites, pain, piles, and tumors. Elsewhere the leaves are used for  cystitis, dysuria, fever, and gonorrhea. The cold infusion is said to restore the appetite and  strength (Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops.http://www.worldjute.com/jute_news/medijut.html).

Other Uses:
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which was once classified with the family Tiliaceae, more recently with Malvaceae, and has now been reclassified as belonging to the family Sparrmanniaceae. “Jute” is the name of the plant or fiber that is used to make burlap, Hessian or gunny cloth…..click & see

Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibers and is second only to cotton in amount produced and variety of uses of vegetable fibers. Jute fibers are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose and lignin. It falls into the bast fiber category (fiber collected from bast or skin of the plant) along with kenaf, industrial hemp, flax (linen), ramie, etc. The industrial term for jute fiber is raw jute. The fibers are off-white to brown, and 1–4 metres (3–13 feet) long. Jute is also called “the golden fiber” for its color and high cash value.

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Jute is used in the manufacture of a number of fabrics such as Hessian cloth, sacking, scrim, carpet backing cloth (CBC), and canvas. Hessian, lighter than sacking, is used for bags, wrappers, wall-coverings, upholstery, and home furnishings. Sacking, a fabric made of heavy jute fibers, has its use in the name. CBC made of jute comes in two types. Primary CBC provides a tufting surface, while secondary CBC is bonded onto the primary backing for an overlay. Jute packaging is used as an eco-friendly substitute.

Jute floor coverings consist of woven and tufted and piled carpets. Jute Mats and mattings with 5 / 6 mts width and of continuous length are easily being woven in Southern parts of India, in solid and fancy shades, and in different weaves like, Boucle, Panama, Herringbone, etc. Jute Mats & Rugs are made both through Powerloom & Handloom, in large volume from Kerala, India. The traditional Satranji mat is becoming very popular in home décor. Jute non-wovens and composites can be used for underlay, linoleum substrate, and more.

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Jute has many advantages as a home textile, either replacing cotton or blending with it. It is a strong, durable, color and light-fast fiber. Its UV protection, sound and heat insulation, low thermal conduction and anti-static properties make it a wise choice in home décor. Also, fabrics made of jute fibers are carbon-dioxide neutral and naturally decomposable. These properties are also why jute can be used in high performance technical textiles.

The dry  jute stem is used as fire wood.

As a diversified byproducts from jute can be used in cosmetics,  paints, and other products.

Toxicity:
Contains HCN and several cardiac glycosides. Negm et al (1980) report the LD50 of tissue extracts to mice. The “lethal dose” of Corchoroside A to cats is 0.053-0.0768 mg/kg and Corchoroside B 0.059-0.1413, but some authors say that Corchoroside A is twice as active as Corchoroside B.

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

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jute
http://www.jute-rugs.co.uk/aboutjute.php
http://indianjute.blogspot.in/p/medicinal-use-herbal-use-of-jute-jute.html
http://www.worldjute.com/jute_news/medijut.html

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Elaeagnus commutata

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Botanical Name : Elaeagnus commutata
Family: Elaeagnaceae
Genus: Elaeagnus
Species: E. commutata
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Rosales

Common Names:American silverberry or Wolf-willow,Silverberry

Habitat : Elaeagnus commutata is  native to western and boreal North America, from southern Alaska through British Columbia east to Quebec, south to Utah, and across the upper Midwestern United States to South Dakota and western Minnesota. It typically grows on dry to moist sandy and gravel soils in steppes, meadows or woodland edges.

Description:
These plants are shrubs or small trees growing to 1–4 m tall. The leaves are broad lanceolate, 2–7 cm long, silvery on both sides with dense small white scales. The fragrant flowers are yellow, with a four-lobed corolla 6–14 mm long. The fruits are ovoid drupes 9–12 mm long, also covered in silvery scales. The fruit pulp is floury in texture, and surrounds the single seed………CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Medicinal Uses:
A strong decoction of the bark, mixed with oil, has been used as a salve for children with frostbite. A decoction of the roots, combined with sumac roots (Rhus spp.), has been used in the treatment of syphilis. This medicine was considered to be very poisonous and, if you survived it, you were likely to become sterile. The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers.

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/Elaeagnus_commutata
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_RST.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Brickellia grandiflora

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Botanical Name ; Brickellia grandiflora
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Eupatorieae
Genus: Brickellia
Species: B. grandiflora
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Synonyms: Brickellia grandiflora (Hook.) Nutt.

Common Name :Bricklebush , Tasselflower brickellbush.Prodigiosa,  Hamula, Atanasia, Amarga, Mala Mujer, Rodigiosa

Habitat : Brickellia grandiflora is native to western North America from British Columbia to Missouri to central Mexico, where it grows in many types of habitat.

Prodigiosa grows in canyons, along roadsides, and in sandy washes across the Southwestern United States. It ranges up to the East Cascades in Washington and Oregon down to the Valley of Mexico and as east as Arkansas (Davidow 1999). It grows between 4,500 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Commonly found in piñon-juniper to tall pine, spruce, and fir forests of higher elevations. The plant grows slowly until rain in late July and August when its growth speeds up and doubles sometimes tripling its original size (McDonald, 2002). In late August it flowers and then seeds. Because it likes to grow in sandy washes the seeds are more likely to fall into running water from the monsoons and be carried down stream to grow.  In New Mexico it grows through out the lower canyons of the Jemez, Guadalupe Mountains, Sangre de Cristo, and in the Gila and Lincoln National Forests (Moore, 1989).
Locations of Brickellia grandiflora across the United States and New Mexico.

Description:
This is an upright perennial herb growing a few-branched stem up to 70 centimeters tall. The hairy, glandular leaves are up to 12 centimeters long and lance-shaped, triangular, or heart-shaped. The inflorescences at the tip of the slender stem holds clusters of nodding flower heads, each just over a centimeter long and lined with greenish phyllaries with curling tips. The bell-shaped flower head holds a spreading array of 20 to 40 disc florets. The fruit is a hairy cylindrical achene about 4 millimeters long with a pappus of bristles.
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Medicinal Uses:
It assists in lowering high blood sugar levels in type II diabetics who are insulin-resistant. In addition, it helps improve the stomach lining and digestion because it increases not only the quality, but the quantity of hydrochloric acid that secretes in the stomach. This is important because foods that take a long time to digest often cause acid indigestion. The brickellia plant also helps to stimulate fat digestion in the gallbladder by evacuating bile from the gallbladder and bile synthesis in the liver.  A medium-strong cup of tea is taken in mid-afternoon and mid-morning.  Diet control and little or no alcohol intake supplement this treatment.  Sometimes Maturique is used to start the treatment, followed by maintenance on bricklebush.  A patent medicine herb tea called Hamula is made in Mexico and widely used in the Southwest, but its main herb is bricklebush.       In Mexico it has been known to be used in baths for acute arthritis. It can also be helpful to treat diarrhea and other digestive problems.  It may also have the potential to prevent or help cataracts in certain cases.

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.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brickellia_grandiflora
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=BRGR&photoID=brgr_003_ahp.jpg
http://medplant.nmsu.edu/brickellia.shtm

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Castilleja linariaefolia

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Botanical Name : Castilleja linariaefolia
Family  : Scrophulariaceae / Orobanchaceae
Genus
;  Castilleja

KingdomPlantae
Order: Lamiales
Species: 
C. linariifolia

Synonym:Castilleja linearis/Castilleja traainii

Common Name: Wyoming Indian Paintbrush

Habitat :Native to United States and is the state flower of Wyoming. South-western N. America.   It grows on dry plains and hills, usually with sagebrush, and in hills to 3,000 metres.

Description:
Castilleja linariaefolia  is a  perennial   herbaceous   plant , grows up to 1 meter in height and has linear leaves which are between 20 and 80 mm in length and have up to 3 lobes. The flowers, which consist of a red to yellow calyx and yellow-green floral tube, appear in panicles or spikes between June and September in its native range.

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It is hardy to zone 0. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping.

Cultivation:The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil: Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season. Seed does not store well; sow as soon as possible

Propagation: From seed; direct sow after last frost

Edible Uses
Flowers

Medicinal Uses
Treats skin diseases, kidney disorders and leprosy. A decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of excessive menstrual discharge and other menstrual difficulties, and also to prevent conception. A decoction of the leaves has been used during pregnancy in order to keep the baby small and thus lead to an easier labour. The root is cathartic. A decoction has been used as a blood purifier. When taken over a long period of time, a decoction of the root is said to be an effective treatment for venereal disease. The plant has been used to treat stomach aches.

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/database/plants.php?Castilleja+linariaefolia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castilleja_linariifolia

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/73750/index.html

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