Tag: Vascular plant

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Herbs & Plants

Blue Lettuce

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Botanical Name : Lactuca pulchella
Family :Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Lactuca L. – lettuce
Species: Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey. – blue lettuce
Variety:Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey. var. pulchella (Pursh) Breitung – blue lettuce
Kingdom :Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales

Synonyms:
*Lactuca tatarica (Linnaeus) C.A. Meyer subsp. pulchella (Pursh) A.P. de Candolle
*Mulgedium pulchellum (Pursh) G. Don
*Sonchus pulchellus Pursh

Common Name : Blue Lettuce,Chicory Lettuce

Habitat:
In Michigan this species is native only to Isle Royale, where it occurs in rocky openings on ridges. It is adventive elsewhere in the state. In other portions of its range, this species inhabits moist prairies, meadows, clearings, and riverbanks. The Isle Royale populations have not been collected since 1930.

Description:
General: plant with milky sap, 20-100 cm tall.
Growth habit: perennial from white, deep-seated, creeping root, often growing in patches.
Stems: erect, hairless or almost so.
Leaves: alternate, narrowly lance-shaped, 5-18 cm
long and 6-35 mm wide, entire, or the lower ones more or
less with triangular, backward-pointig lobes or sharply
toothed, often with waxy coating beneath.
Flowerheads: blue, showy, about 2 cm wide, with
18-50 ray florets only, several in open clusters. Involucre
15-20 mm high in fruit, with overlapping bracts in 3 rows.
Flowering time: June-September.
Fruits: achenes, 4-7 mm long, the slender body
moderately compressed, prominently several-nerved on
each face, the beak stout, often whitish, equaling or less
than half as long as the body. Pappus of white, hair-like
bristles.
CLICK  & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Prefers a light sandy loam. This species is considered to be a noxious weed in N. America where it spreads freely by suckers in cultivated ground – even a small portion of the root can regenerate to form a new plant.

Propagation:
Seed – sow April in a greenhouse, only just covering the seed. Germination is usually fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring. Root cuttings in spring.

Edible uses:
Young leaves – raw or cooked – of blue lettuce have been eaten by Native tribes. A gum obtained from the roots is used for chewing. However, caution should be used, because of the mild narcotic properties of the plant.

Medicinal Uses:
A tea of the roots and stems has been used by the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia in the treatment of diarrhea in children. Hemorrhoids have been treated by applying a moist, usually warm or hot mass of plant material. The whole plant is rich in a milky sap, containing ‘lactucarium’, which is used in medicine for its mildly pain-relieving, antispasmodic, digestive, urination-inducing, hypnotic, narcotic and sedative properties. Lactucarium has mild narcotic effects. It has been taken internally in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, neuroses, hyperactivity in children, dry coughs, whooping cough, rheumatic pain etc. The sap has also been applied externally in the treatment of warts. An infusion of the roots and stems has been given to children in the treatment of diarrhea. The sap has also been applied externally in the treatment of warts.

Other Uses: The Gum has several uses.

Precautions:
The plant should be used with caution, and never without the supervision of a skilled practitioner. Even normal doses can cause drowsiness, excess causes restlessness and overdoses can cause death through cardiac paralysis.

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://montana.plant-life.org/species/lactuca_tatari.htm
http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/explorer/species.cfm?id=13578
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LATAP
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/lactuca_pulchella.html

http://www.wildstaudenzauber.de/Seiten/Praerie.html

http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Fletcher-FarmWeeds/pages/033-Blue-lettuce/411×764-q75.html

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lactuca+pulchella

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Blanket Flower

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Botanical Name : Gaillardia pinnatifida
Family: Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Gaillardia Foug. – blanketflower
Species: Gaillardia pinnatifida Torr. – red dome blanketflower
Kingdom :Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Asteridae
Order: Asterales

Common Names:Red Dome Blanketflower, Slender Gaillardia,  Blanket Flower

Habitat :Native to USA. Upland, Mountain. This wildflower grows in dry, sunny, grassy areas.

Description:
Blanket Flower is a Perennial Subshrub, Herb/Forb , growing to  16 inches (41 cm) tall or more. Flower blooming period is Spring (late), Summer.
Flower Color is Yellow rays and reddish disks

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The flower heads are 1 3/4 inches (4.4 cm) wide and have a fuzzy, domed, red disk ringed by yellow, 3-lobed rays. The seed heads are fuzzy, tan-colored, and ball-shaped. The leaves are linear, grayish green, covered in fine, whitish hairs, and variably pinnately-lobed with at least a few lobed leaves per plant.

Medicinal Uses:
The plant is used as a diuretic, taken to give relief from painful urination.  An infusion of the leaves is taken internally, and a poultice applied externally, in the treatment of gout.  For sinus or indigestion headaches, the plant is mashed and steeped in water or vinegar, and the resulting solution is applied to the head. One strong cup a day of the tea, taken for 7 days, is said to help infertility in women.  The hot tea, taken for several days is used for bladder pain and infections in the cold winter months.  A simple tea is brewed from the flowers for a blood tonic; it also is taken for anemia.  The powdered flowers can be inhaled for headaches, but some people are allergic to them

Special Characteristics: Butterfly Plant – The flowers attract butterflies

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://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GAPI

Gaillardia pinnatifida – Red Dome Blanketflower


http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm

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Heleniuim autumnale

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Botanical Name :Heleniuim autumnale
Family : Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus :  Helenium L. – sneezeweed
Species : Helenium autumnale L. – common sneezeweed
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division :  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class :  Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Asteridae
Order : Asterales

Common Name : Bitterweed,common sneezeweed and large-flowered sneezeweed

Habitat :Native to North America. This plant is found throughout the contiguous mainland United States and most of Canada

Description:
Helenium autumnale is a Herbaceous perennial flowering plant. The plant is 3-5′ tall, branching occasionally, with ridged stems. The alternate leaves are up to 5″ long and 2″ across, and clasp the stems. They have a prominent central vein and margins that are smooth or slightly serrate. Their shape may be lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong. The numerous composite flowers are yellow and 2-3″ across, with a spheroid disk that is quite prominent among the surrounding ray florets. The latter are broader at their tips than toward the base, and doubly notched, creating an interesting effect. They bloom for a month or more, often until late into the fall. The root system is shallow and fibrous.

CLICK   &  SEE  THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Common sneezeweed is cultivated as a garden perennial. There are multiple named varieties varying in color and height. ‘Pumilum Magnificum’ is a yellow variety about two feet tall. ‘Bruno’, a reddish brown cultivar, ‘Kupfersprudel’, which is yellow/orange, and ‘Butterpat’, which is golden, all grow 3 to 3.5 feet tall. ‘Chippersfield Orange’ is up to 4 feet tall and is orange streaked with gold.

Medicinal Uses:
The flowers and leaves have been snuffed to cause sneezing and clear nasal passages, and to treat colds.  The plant parts and flowers have been used to treat intestinal worms. They have been thought to be poisonous to fish and insects.  The powdered leaves are sternutatory. An infusion of the leaves is laxative and alterative.  An infusion of the stems has been used as a wash in the treatment of fevers. The plant contains helenalin, a compound that has shown significant anti-tumor activity.

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/Helenium_autumnale
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HEAU&photoID=heau_005_ahp.tif
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/sneezeweedx.htm

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Cymopterus bulbosus

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Botanical Name :Cymopterus bulbosus
Family :Apiaceae
Genus : Cymopterus Raf.
Species : Cymopterus bulbosus A. Nelson
Kingdom : Plantae
Subkingdom :Tracheobionta
Superdivision : Spermatophyta
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Rosidae
Order : Apiales

Common Name :Biscuit Root

Habitat :South-western N. America – Wyoming to Texas and New Mexico. Dry hills and plains at elevations of 1200 – 2100 metres.

Description:
Cymopterus bulbosus is a perennial hurb. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.The plant is self-fertile.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES……

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires dry or moist soil.

Propagation
Seed – we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a greenhouse. As soon as 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 spring or autumn might be possible

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Condiment;  Leaves;  Root.

The root can be eaten raw, cooked or dried for later use. The dried leaves are used as a flavouring.  A celery flavouring. Leaves – cooked

Medicinal Uses:
The plant has been eaten as a stomach medicine.

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.

Sources:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cymopterus%20bulbosus
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Pink%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/cymopterus%20bulbosus%20and%20constancei.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CYBU
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm

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Viola pedata

Botanical Name : Viola pedata
Family : Violaceae
Genus :  Viola L.
Species : Viola pedata L.
Kingdom : Plantae
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta
Superdivision : Spermatophyta
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Order : Violales

Synonyms:
Viola pedata L.

VIPEC Viola pedata L. var. concolor Holm ex Brainerd
VIPEL Viola pedata L. var. lineariloba DC.
VIPER Viola pedata L. var. ranunculifolia DC.

Common Name :  Viola pedata,   Bird’s Foot Violet, Crowfoot Violet, Pansy Violet

Habitat :Viola pedata  is native to  eastern N. America – New York to Wisconsin and south to Florida and eastern Texas. It grows in dry rocky banks, in open deciduous woods on well-drained soils and on the edges of ditches in acid sandy soils.  Commonly occurs in dryish soils in rocky woods, slopes, glades and roadsides.

Description:
It is a rhizomatous, stemless perennial (to 4″ tall) which typically features variably colored flowers, the most common color forms being bi-colored (upper petals dark purple and lower ones light blue) and uniform light blue. Each flower rests above the foliage atop its own leafless stalk. Blooms in early spring (March to May in St. Louis). Pedata in Latin means foot-like.

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Bird’s foot violet features deeply divided leaves which somewhat resemble a bird’s foot.

Height: 0.25 to 0.5 feet
Spread: 0.25 to 0.5 feet
Bloom Time: March – May   Bloom Data
Bloom Color: Lilac/purple

Cultivation:
Best grown in sandy or gravelly, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Good soil drainage is the key to growing this plant well. Does not spread by runners. May self-seed in optimum growing conditions. Considered more difficult to grow than most other violets.
Propagation :
Seed – best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in the autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring

Edible Uses: Young leaves and flower buds – raw or cooked. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Some caution is advised if the plant has yellow flowers since these can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities. A tea can be made from the leaves. The flowers are candied.

Medicinal  Uses:
A poultice of the leaves has been used to allay the pain of a headache.  An infusion of the plant has been used in the treatment of dysentery, coughs and colds.  A poultice of the crushed root has been applied to boils.  The seeds have been recommended in uric acid gravel.  The plant parts and roots have been used as a mild laxative and to induce vomiting. A decoction of the above ground parts has been used to loosen phlegm in the chest, and for other pulmonary problems.

Other Uses:
Use as very good ground  cover. An infusion of the root has been used to soak corn seeds before planting in order to keep off insects

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://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/plant.asp?code=G280
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VIPE

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