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Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

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Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants 158 Sage (part-1)

11 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by eowyndbh in Uncategorized

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Azure Blue Sage, Chia, edible Sage, field craft, field medicine, home remedies, Lanceleaf Sage, militia supply, Native American culture, Native American food, native american medicine, prepper's plant, remove warts, sage ointment for wounds, Sage poultice, Salvia apiana, Salvia ballotiflora, Salvia carduacea, Salvia columbariae, Salvia lyrata, Salvia microphylla, Salvia officinalis, Salvia pratensis, Salvia sclarea, teatment of gunshot wounds, treat colds, treat excessive salivation, treat fevers, treat gunshot wounds, treat insect bites, treat sores, treatment for cancer, treatment for night sweats, White Sage

Medical disclaimer: always check with a physician before consuming wild plants, and make positive identification in the field using a good source such as Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West.  Michael Moore also has a glossary of medical terms in his books, and maps in later editions. ) 
#158
Common Name: Sage, Silver Sage, Chia, Lanceleaf Sage, Azure Blue Sage, White Sage
Latin Name:
Salvia apiana, S. ballotiflora, S. carduacea, S. columbariae, S. microphylla, S. lyrata, S. officinalis, S. pratensis, S. sclarea
Family: Lamiaceae
Range:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SALVI
All States except Alaska and New Hampshire; In Canada; British Columbia to Quebec. This is the main database for Sage.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SAAP2 California. (Salvia apiana)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SABA5 Texas. (Salvia ballotiflora)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SACA8 California. (Salvia carduacea)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SACO6 California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. (Salvia columbariae)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SAMI20 California, Arizona and New Mexico. (Salvia microphylla)
 http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SALY2 All States east of the Mississippi R., except Wisconsin, and states north of New York and Connecticut, plus Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. (Salvia lyrata)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SAOF2 Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, W. Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and California; In Canada; Ontario and Quebec. (Salvia officinalis)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SAPR2 Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois, S. Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho and Washington; In Canada; Ontario. (Salvia pratensis)
 http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SASC2 Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington; In Canada; Ontario. (Salvia sclarea)
Photos : (Click on Latin name after common name )
Warnings: None on PFAF website, except for Salvia officinalis
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#158 (a)
Common Name: White Sage, California White Sage (Salvia apiana)
Appearance and Habitat:
A low, soft-stemmed, aromatic subshrub with long wands of whitish-lavender flowers. Silvery foliage occurs in 2 ft. mounds, subtending the 5 ft. flowering stalks. A woody shrub, with erect whitish branches. White Sage is a member of the mint family (family Lamiaceae), which includes aromatic herbs or shrubs (rarely trees or vines), usually with stems square in cross-section, four-sided.There are about 200 genera and 3,200 species, distributed nearly worldwide. The Mediterranean region, the chief area of diversity, produces many spices and flavorings, such as various mints, oregano, marjoram, thyme, sage, and basil. Catnip and lavender are in the mint family.
(1)  Dry benches and slopes below 1500 meters in south-western N. America – California. A perennial growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from Apr to July.(2)
Edible Uses:Seed – raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used as a mush. The seed has been mixed with cereals such as oats or wheat, toasted then ground into a fine powder and eaten dry. The seed can also be soaked overnight and used as a drink in water or fruit juice or eaten with cereals. The seed is also used as a spice. The leaves are used in cooking. They can be used as a flavouring in seed mushes. Stem tops. The young stalks can be eaten raw. Ripe stem tops can be peeled and eaten raw.
(3)
Medicinal Uses :An infusion of the leaves is used as a blood tonic and as a treatment for coughs and colds. The leaves can be eaten, or used as a sweat bath, in the treatment of colds. The seeds have been used as eye cleaners. No more information is given here, but in other instances the seed has been placed in the eye, it then forms a gelatinous covering to which any foreign matter in the eye adheres. The seed is washed out of the eye by the eyes own tears.
(4)
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SAAP2

Foot Notes: (2, 3, 4 ) http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+apiana
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#158 (b)
Common Name: Shrubby Blue Sage, Mejorana (Salvia ballotiflora )
Appearance and Habitat:
A much-branched aromatic shrub with square stems. Leaves are opposite with serrated margins, hairy above and below. Flowers bluish-purple in elongated clusters.
(1)Dry places in coastal sage shrub in California. South-western N. America – California to Texas. An annual.(2)
Edible Uses:An infusion of the aromatic flowering tops is used as a herb tea.
(3)
Medicinal Uses :None
(4)
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SABA5

Foot Notes: (2, 3, 4 )http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+ballotaeflora
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#158 (c)
Common Name: Thistle Sage, (Salvia carduacea)
Appearance and Habitat:
A handsome, whitish-woolly plant with vivid lavender, bilaterally symmetrical flowers in a stacked series of prickly round clusters near top of leafless stems. This is one of the most beautiful native sages; the brilliant lavender flowers are strikingly contrasted against the pale foliage, and the vermilion anthers provide color accent.
(1)  Sandy gravelly places below 1350 meters. Open nad grassy places in south-western N. America- California. An annual / perennial growing to 0.7 m (2ft 4in). It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower in July.(2)
Edible Uses:Seed – raw or cooked. It can be roasted, then ground into a powder and used with other seeds as a mush. The seeds can be added to wheat to improve the flavour. It can also be used as a cooling beverage.
(3)
Medicinal Uses :None
(4)
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SACA8

Foot Notes: (2, 3, 4 ) http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+carduacea
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#158 (d)
Common Name: Chia, California Sage, Golden Chia, (Salvia columbariae)
Appearance and Habitat:
Tiny, blue flowers are aggregated in several balls along the square stems of this 4-20 in. annual. The leaves are mostly basal, once or twice pinnate and velvety. California sage smells distinctly skunky. Chia (pronounced chee-ah) is the common name for several Salvia species from which Indians made pinole; a meal ground from parched seeds. When steeped in water the seeds also produced a thick, mucilaginous drink.
(1)  Dry open places below 1200 meters in south-western N. America. An annual / perennial growing to 0.7 m (2ft 4in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September.(2)
Edible Uses: Seeds roasted, ground into meal, water added to make gruel. Native American messenger runner’s carried ripe seeds in belt pouches and ate them on route. Pomo Indians ground the seeds for pinole. Chia is the Spanish name for this plant. Cortez found Mexican natives using these seeds parched and ground into meal.(3)  Seed – raw or cooked. Usually ground into a powder and used as piñole or made into dark-coloured cakes and loaves, it has a nutty flavour. It can also be mixed with corn meal when making mush or with ground wheat for gruel. Rich in niacin, thiamine, zinc, calcium and manganese, it is also a good source of protein and easily digested fats. It has a high food value and is easily digested. The sprouted seeds can be added to salads and sandwiches. A refreshing drink can be made by steeping the seed in cold water. Alternatively, the seed can be roasted and ground into a powder then mixed with water when it soon becomes a copious gelatinous mass. It is very palatable and nutritious. The seed has been used to render water palatable by removing the alkalis. The leaves are occasionally used as a sage-like seasoning.(4)
Medicinal Uses :Mission fathers used an infusion of the seeds for fevers and for cooling drinks. The ’49ers used the seeds for gunshot wounds, in a poultice.
(5)  The seed is digestive, disinfectant, febrifuge and ophthalmic. An infusion can be used in the treatment of fevers. A poultice of the seed mush can be applied to infections. The seeds have been kept in the mouth, and chewed during long journeys on foot, in order to give strength. The seeds have been used to cleanse the eyes or remove foreign matter from the eyes. No more information is given here, but in other instances the seed has been placed in the eye, it then forms a gelatinous covering to which any foreign matter in the eye adheres. The seed is washed out of the eye by the eyes own tears.(6)
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SACO6

Foot Notes: (2, 4, 6 )http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+columbariae
Foot Notes: ( 3, 5 ) Indian Uses of Native Plants by Edith Van Murphy, page 28, Publisher: Meyerbooks, Copyright 1990, ISBN 0-96638-15-4
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#158 (e)
Common Name: Lyreleaf Sage, Cancer Weed, (Salvia lyrata)
Appearance and Habitat:
Lyreleaf sage is a strictly upright, hairy perennial, 1-2 ft. tall with a rosette of leaves at the base. The leaves are deeply 3-lobed, with a few simple leaves higher up on the stem. Large basal leaves are purple-tinged in the winter. This species has the typical square stem and 2-lipped blossom of the mints. Its pale-blue to violet, tubular flowers are arranged in whorls around the stem forming an interrupted, terminal spike. Each blossom is about 1 inch long. The 2-lobed lower lip is much longer than the upper, which has 3 lobes, the middle one forming a sort of hood. The sepals are purplish-brown. Lyreleaf sage makes a great evergreen groundcover, with somewhat ajuga-like foliage and showy blue flowers in spring. It will reseed easily in loose, sandy soils and can form a solid cover with regular watering. It even takes mowing and can be walked on. The exposed lower lip of this and other salvias provides an excellent landing platform for bees. When a bee lands, the two stamens are tipped, and the insect is doused with pollen.
(1)  Sandy soils and lawns in Eastern N. America – Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Texas and Illinois. A perennial growing 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from Jul to August.(2)
Edible Uses:None(3)
Medicinal Uses :The plant is diaphoretic and mildly laxative. It can be used in the treatment of diarrhoea, coughs and colds. The fresh leaves are applied to remove warts. The plant is also a folk remedy for cancer. The leaves and seeds are made into an ointment to cure wounds and sores. The root can be used to make a salve for sores.(4)
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SALY2

Foot Notes: (2, 3, 4 ) http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+lyrata
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#158 (f)
Common Name: Baby Sage, Blackcurrant Sage, (Salvia microphylla)
Appearance and Habitat:
Southern N. America -Mexico to Guatemala. An evergreen perennial growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Aug to October.
Edible Uses: The leaves have a pleasant scent of blackcurrant and can be used fresh or dried as a flavouring. A herbal tea, called ‘mirot de montes’, is made from the leaves.
Medicinal Uses : An infusion of the flowers and leaves have been used in the treatment of fevers.

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+microphylla
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#158 (g)
Common Name: Sage, Kitchen Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Appearance and Habitat:
Dry banks and stony places, usually in limestone areas and often where there is very little soil. Southern Europe. An evergreen shrub growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in). It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September.
Warnings: The plant can be toxic when used in excesss or when taken for extended periods of time. Symptoms include: restlessness, vomiting, vertigo, tremors, seizures. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Avoid if predisposed to convulsions.
Edible Uses: Leaves and flowers – raw or cooked. A very common herb, the strongly aromatic leaves are used as a flavouring in cooked foods. They are an aid to digestion and so are often used with heavy, oily foods. They impart a sausage-like flavour to savoury dishes. The young leaves and flowers can be eaten raw, boiled, pickled or used in sandwiches. The flowers can also be sprinkled on salads to add colour and fragrance. A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves, it is said to improve the digestion. An essential oil obtained from the plant is used commercially to flavour ice cream, sweets, baked goods etc.
Medicinal Uses : Sage has a very long history of effective medicinal use and is an important domestic herbal remedy for disorders of the digestive system. Its antiseptic qualities make it an effective gargle for the mouth where it can heal sore throats, ulcers etc. The leaves applied to an aching tooth will often relieve the pain. The whole herb is antihydrotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, galactofuge, stimulant, tonic and vasodilator. Sage is also used internally in the treatment of excessive lactation, night sweats, excessive salivation (as in Parkinson’s disease), profuse perspiration (as in TB), anxiety, depression, female sterility and menopausal problems. Many herbalists believe that the purple-leafed forms of this species are more potent medicinally. This remedy should not be prescribed to pregnant women or to people who have epileptic fits. The plant is toxic in excess or when taken for extended periods – though the toxic dose is very large. Externally, it is used to treat insect bites, skin, throat, mouth and gum infections and vaginal discharge. The leaves are best harvested before the plant comes into flower and are dried for later use. The essential oil from the plant is used in small doses to remove heavy collections of mucous from the respiratory organs and mixed in embrocations for treating rheumatism. In larger doses, however, it can cause epileptic fits, giddiness etc. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is ‘Tonic’. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Salvia officinalis Sage for loss of appetite, inflammation of the mouth, excessive perspiration.

 http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+officinalis
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#158 (h)
Common Name: Introduced Sage, Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis)
Appearance and Habitat:
A rare native of Britain, from scandanavia south nad east to Spain, Serbia, the Crimea, Bulgaria. A perennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is hardy to zone 3. It is in flower from Jul to August.
Edible Uses: The pungent, bitter flavoured herb has been used as a flavouring in beers and wines. It is also used as an adulterant of sage
Medicinal Uses : None

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+pratensis
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#158 (i)
Common Name: European Sage, Clary (Salvia sclarea)
Appearance and Habitat:
Rocky igneous slopes, mixed deciduous and coniferous woodland, shale banks and roadsides to 2000 meters in Turkey. Southern Europe to Syria. A biennial / perennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft). It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower in August, and the seeds ripen in September.
Edible Uses: Leaves – raw or cooked. A strong, warm, aromatic taste and odour. They are used mainly as a flavouring in cooked foods, they are similar to sage (S. officinalis). The leaves can be dipped in batter and cooked to make delicious fritters. Flowers – raw. A pleasant taste, they can be sprinkled on chopped salads, or made into a tea. The plant is sometimes used as a hop substitute in flavouring beer, imparting considerable bitterness and intoxicating properties – it either makes people dead drunk or insanely exhilarated. The leaves have also been used to adulterate wine and give it a muscatel flavour.
Medicinal Uses : Clary has been perceived both as a weaker version of sage (Salvia officinalis) and also as a significant herb in its own right. An antispasmodic and aromatic plant, it is used mainly to treat digestive problems such as wind and indigestion. It is also regarded as a tonic, calming herb that helps relieve period pain and pre-menstrual problems. Owing to its oestrogen-stimulating action, it is most effective when levels of this hormone are low. The whole plant, and especially the leaves, is antispasmodic, appetizer, aromatic, astringent, balsamic, carminative, pectoral and tonic. It is useful in treating disorders of the stomach and kidneys and is a valuable remedy for complaints associated with the menopause, particularly hot flushing. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, for drying they are harvested before the plant comes into flower. The seed forms a thick mucilage when it is soaked for a few minutes in water. This is efficacious in removing small particles of dust from the eyes. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is ‘Euphoric’.

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Salvia+sclarea

Reproduced, in part, (as well as previous postings under this title) in accordance with Section 107 of title 17 of the Copyright Law of the United States relating to fair-use and is for the purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

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Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants 156-157 Cleavers, Dandelion

06 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by eowyndbh in Uncategorized

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Blowball, Catchweed Bedstraw, Chicoria, Cleavers, coffee substitute, dissolve urinary stones, edible Dandelion, edible Galium aparine, field craft, field medicine, Galium aparine, Goosegrass, high levels of potassium salts, militia supply, prepper plants, remove corns, remove warts, restore liver function after hepatitis, Stickywilly, Taraxacum officinale, treat cancer, treat cancerous ulcers, treat chronic constipation, treat eczema, treat gallstones, treat gout, treat hepatitis, treat jaundice, treat kidney infections, treat liver congestion, treat liver stones, treat oedema, treat psoriasis, treat skin problems, treat tonsillitis, treat urnary tract infections, treat wounds, treat yeast infections, treatment for burns, treatment for kidney gravel, treatment for liver stones, treatment for urinary tract gravel, treatment of gall bladder stones

Medical disclaimer: always check with a physician before consuming wild plants, and make positive identification in the field using a good source such as Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West.  Michael Moore also has a glossary of medical terms in his books, and maps in later editions. ) 
#156
Common Name: Cleavers, Goosegrass, Catchweed Bedstraw, Stickywilly, Coachweed 
Latin Name:
Galium aparine
Family: Rubiaceae
Range:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=gaap2
All States except Hawaii; In Canada; British Columbia to Quebec, plus Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia.
Photos: Here
Appearance and Habitat: A weak-stemmed, reclining plant with backward-booked bristles on stems and leaves, and clusters of 1-3 (usually 2) very small white flowers on stalks rising from whorled leaf axils. The common name is appropriate since the bristles cause the stems, leaves, and fruits to cleave to clothes and the fur of animals. The fact that geese eat the plants accounts for the other common name. The plants are also known as Bedstraws since the pleasant smelling foliage of a yellow-flowered species (G. verum), was used to stuff mattresses in medieval times.(1)  An abundant native, annual, that blooms April to June. Variety of habitats, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains. Scrambling annual, the weak stem 1-10 dm. tall, little branched, square with retrorse hooks on the angles. Leaves: Leaves mostly in whorls of 8, tipped with a sharp point, narrow, 1-nerved, 1-4 cm. long, with stiff, recurved hairs on the margins and mid-rib beneath. Flowers: Inflorescences of 3-5 flowers on peduncles in the leaf axils which surpass the whorl of leaves, usually with a whorl of small leaves at the summit, or the peduncles in threes at the ends of short, axillary branches; pedicels straight and ascending; calyx obsolete; corolla rotate, 1-2 mm. wide, greenish-white, the 4 lobes much longer than the tube; styles 2, short; ovary 2-celled, inferior. Fruits: Fruit dry, 2-4 mm. long, covered with hooked bristles.(2)   Hedgerows and as a weed of cultivated land. Moist and grassy places on most types of soil. Europe, oncluding Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, N. and W. Asia. An annual growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 3 m (9ft 10in). It is hardy to zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September.(3)  Of all the Galium species in the west, Cleavers is the most common. Most are perennials, except Cleavers which is an annual. They can all be used interchangeable for their medicinal qualities. Cleavers has a square stem with bristly edges and can form vine like mats over other bushes. Large plants may attain a height of 6 or 7 feet, if untangled and spread out. All Galiums are either small shrubs, with several weak stems, or have the habit of vining like Cleavers. The flowers are white and star shaped. The seeds that develop after the flowers are in pairs from each flower and are bristly and green. The leaves are roundly lanceloate and form circular rosettes along the stem comprising of 6 or 8 leaves. It can be found from sea level to 10,000 feet, but in the southwest it is usually found in the mountains. Watch for it along streamsides, moist embankments, pastures and in the shade under trees. Most species were introduced form Europe.(4)
Warnings: The sap of the plant can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people. Can cause sever skin irritation.(5)
Edible Uses:The tender young shoot tips – raw or cooked as a pot-herb. A rather bitter flavour that some people find unpalatable, they are best used in the spring. They make a useful addition to vegetable soups. It is said that using this plant as a vegetable has a slimming effect on the body. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. One of the best substitutes, it merely needs to be dried and lightly roasted and has much the flavour of coffee. A decoction of the whole dried plant gives a drink equal to tea.(6)
Medicinal Uses :Goosegrass has a long history of domestic medicinal use and is also used widely by modern herbalists. A valuable diuretic, it is often taken to treat skin problems such as seborrhoea, eczema and psoriasis, and as a general detoxifying agent in serious illnesses such as cancer. The whole plant, excluding the root, is alterative, antiphlogistic, aperient, astringent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, tonic and vulnerary. It is harvested in May and June as it comes into flower and can be used fresh or dried for later use. It is used both internally and externally in the treatment of a wide range of ailments, including as a poultice for wounds, ulcers and many other skin problems, and as a decoction for insomnia and cases where a strong diuretic is beneficial. It has been shown of benefit in the treatment of glandular fever, ME, tonsillitis, hepatitis, cystitis etc. The plant is often used as part of a spring tonic drink with other herbs. A tea made from the plant has traditionally been used internally and externally in the treatment of cancer. One report says that it is better to use a juice of the plant rather than a tea. The effectiveness of this treatment has never been proved or disproved. A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. A homeopathic remedy has been made from the plant.(7)  When collecting the vine type, simply wad them up, take them home and hang them in the shade. For the smooth stemmed variety bundle them in 1/2 inch bundles and place them in a short cardboard box, in the shade to dry. The plant is good for treating urinary tract and skin problems. The tea, made with a tablespoon of the dried herb is pleasant to drink and is of value for treating hepatitis and inflammations of the lower uninary tract. Take the tea 3 times daily, an hour before each meal. The tea is also useful in urinary tract gravel, as it acts as a diuretic. The fresh plant can be juiced and is a bit stronger than the tea. To use the juice use 2 or 3 teaspoons in a cup of water 3 times a day; once again an hour before meals. Either the juice or tea can also be used on slow to heal burns or ulcerated skin. It also has value for cancerous ulcers; proven by homeopaths.( 8 )
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GAAP2
Foot Notes: (2 )http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Galium&Species=aparine
Foot Notes: ( 3, 5, 6, 7 )http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Galium+aparine
Foot Notes: (4, 8 ) Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West 2nd Edition, by Michael Moore, pages 85-86, Publisher: Museum of New Mexico Press, Copyright 2003, ISBN 0-89013-454-5
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#157
Common Name: Dandelion, Chicoria, Blowball,
Latin Name:
Taraxacum officinale
Family: Compositae
Range:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=taof
All States, all of Canada.
Photos: Here
Appearance and Habitat: Non-native species. JAM. A common weed, its solitary flower head, each with numerous yellow ray flowers, tops a hollow, leafless stalk that rises from the center of a rosette of toothed leaves. Stem juice is milky. Unpublished. Non-native species. JAM. The popular name comes from dent de lion, French for lions tooth, referring to the teeth on the leaves. The young leaves may be used in salads and soups; wine is made from the heads. Several species, some native to high mountain meadows, are similar to the Common Dandelion but may have reddish-brown fruits and outer bracts that do not curl.(1)    Blooms March through October. Common in disturbed areas, fields, lawns, from the coast to the alpine. Mostly glabrous perennial herb from a fleshy taproot, strictly scapose, the scape to 50 cm. high, with milky juice. Leaves all basal, oblanceolate, 6-40 cm. long and 0.7-15 cm. wide, with lobes that angle backward, the terminal lobe the largest, tapering to a narrow base. Flowers: Scape hollow, with a few soft hairs upward, terminating in a large, solitary head; involucre 1.5-2.5 cm. high, the bracts in two series, the outer shorter, the inner 13-21, these at first erect, becoming reflexed; corollas all ligulate, bright yellow; the mature achenes and the white pappus form a ball.(2)   A very common weed of grassland and cultivated ground throughout most of the northern hemisphere, including Britain. A perennial growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft). It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June.(3)   A very common weed, it has no stems. The leaves, hollow flower stems, grow directly from the root. If the plant you found has divided stems or branched stems, it is not Dandelion. The most potent, as for medical use, are found in the mountains of the west. The leaves and roots are stronger than those found in the lower altitudes. It can grow almost to the tree line and is found in all mountains of the west.(4)
Warnings: This plant has been mentioned in various books on poisonous plants but any possible toxins will be of very low concentration and toxicity. There are reports that some people have suffered dermatitis as a result of touching the plant, this is probably caused by the latex in the leaves and stems.(5)
Edible Uses:Leaves – raw or cooked. When used in salads, they are rather bitter, though less so in the winter. Tender young leaves are considerably less bitter than older leaves. The leaves are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) before use. This will make them less bitter, but they will also contain less vitamins and minerals. A very nutritious food, 100g of the raw leaves contain about 2.7g. protein, 9.2g. carbohydrate, 187mg Calcium, 66mg phosphorus, 3.1mg iron, 76mg sodium, 397mg potassium, 36mg magnesium, 14000iu vitamin A, 0.19mg vitamin B1, 0.26mg vitamin B2, 35mg vitamin C. Root – raw or cooked. Bitter. A turnip-like flavour. Flowers – raw or cooked. A rather bitter flavour, the unopened flower buds can be used in fritters and they can also be preserved in vinegar and used like capers. Both the leaves and the roots are used to flavour herbal beers and soft drinks such as ‘Dandelion and Burdock’. The roots of 2 year old plants are harvested in the autumn, dried and roasted to make a very good coffee substitute. It is caffeine-free. A pleasant tea is made from the flowers. They are also used to make wine – all green parts should be removed when making wine to prevent a bitter flavour. The leaves and the roots can also be used to make tea.(6)
Medicinal Uses :The dandelion is a commonly used herbal remedy. It is especially effective and valuable as a diuretic because it contains high levels of potassium salts and therefore can replace the potassium that is lost from the body when diuretics are used. All parts of the plant, but especially the root, are slightly aperient, cholagogue, depurative, strongly diuretic, hepatic, laxative, stomachic and tonic. The root is also experimentally cholagogue, hypoglycaemic and a weak antibiotic against yeast infections. The dried root has a weaker action. The roots can be used fresh or dried and should be harvested in the autumn when 2 years old. The leaves are harvested in the spring when the plant is in flower and can be dried for later use. A tea can be made from the leaves or, more commonly, from the roots. The plant is used internally in the treatment of gall bladder and urinary disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, dyspepsia with constipation, oedema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness, chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococci, Meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, Proteus etc. The latex contained in the plant sap can be used to remove corns, warts and verrucae. The latex has a specific action on inflammations of the gall bladder and is also believed to remove stones in the liver. A tea made from the leaves is laxative. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Taraxacum officinale for dyspepsia, urnary tract infections, liver and gallbladder complaints, appetite loss. (7)   This plant should not be stored longer than a year, as it loses a lot of potency after that period. Collect the leaves and flowers and dry them in a cheesecloth fold, hung in the shade in an airy spot. You can also dry the leaves and flowers in a short cardboard box with the cheesecloth under them for support. The roots need to be split in half and dried in a similar fashion to the leaves and flowers. The roots can also be used for a fresh tincture at a ratio of 1 part root to 2 parts 45% vodka by weight. The leaves and roots and a safe diuretic and can be taken as needed, as there is no toxic effects from using Dandelion. Using it increases the water and waste in the urine helping to dissolve urinary stones. Taking frequent doses of the fresh root tincture, one-half teaspoon, will help with kidney infections and restoring liver function after hepatitis. At one teaspoon of the tincture, taken often through the day, it will help treat liver or spleen cogestion. You can also use the dried leaves for tea, at a ratio of 1 part dried leaf to 32 parts water, by weight. Bring the water to a boil, remove it from the heat, add the leaf material and allow it to sit for 6 to 8 hours. You can take from 3-6 ounces as needed. The tea is helpful for chronic constipation caused by age. To help dissolve urinary stones, boil up to an ounce of the dried chopped root in a quart of water and drink in several doses through the day. This takes about 10 days to find relief. You can also drink two tablespoons of the root tincture twice a day for 10 days to remove urinary gravel.( 8 )
Foot Notes: (1)http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TAOF
Foot Notes: (2 )http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Taraxacum&Species=officinale
Foot Notes: ( 3, 5, 6, 7 )http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Taraxacum+officinale
Foot Notes: (4, 8 ) Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West 2nd Edition, by Michael Moore, pages 103-105, Publisher: Museum of New Mexico Press, Copyright 2003, ISBN 0-89013-454-5

Reproduced, in part, (as well as previous postings under this title) in accordance with Section 107 of title 17 of the Copyright Law of the United States relating to fair-use and is for the purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

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