Botanical Name: Spilanthes acmella, Spilanthes oleracea, Acmella oleracea. It was Nicolaus Joseph von Jacquin, an Austrian scientist, who in 1793 constructed and named the genus Spilanthes. The name Spilanthes is formed from the Greek words “spilos” meaning spot and “anthos” meaning flowers, due to the reddish spot on the top of the plant’s inflorescence. There […]
Medicinal Herb Profiles
Silverweed Medicinal Uses and Health Benefits
Botanical Name: Potentilla anserina, Argentina anserina. The genus name Potentilla derives from the Latin word “Potentia” which means power. The other genus name Argentina is drawn from the Latin word “argentum” meaning silver. The species’ scientific name anserina means “of the goose”, either because the plant was used as food for geese or because the […]
Tormentil Benefits and Uses
Botanical Name: Potentilla erecta. Potentilla, the scientific name of the genus tormentil belongs to, derives from the Latin word “Potentia” which means power. Other Common Names: Septfoil Bloodroot Erect cinquefoil Shepherd’s knot Tormentilla (Spanish) Aufrechtes Fingerkraut (German) Potentille dressée (French) Tepperot (Norwegian) Blodrot (Swedish) Blóðmura (Icelandic) Rätvänä (Finnish) Blodrød (Danish). N.B. One of tormentil’s common […]
Psyllium Health Benefits and Herb Uses
Botanical Name: Plantago psyllium, Plantago afra. In recent years, the Latin name Plantago Afra has been deemed the correct scientific name of the plant. Still, Plantago psyllium is most commonly used and what is used in most herbal books. The common name psyllium can apply to at least three plant species (Plantago psyllium, Plantago arenaria, […]
Masterwort Herb Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name: Peucedanum ostruthium, Imperatoria ostruthium. Other Common Names: Imperatoria romana, servato (Spanish), Meisterwurz (German), benzoin francais (French), mesterrot (Norwegian), mästerrot (Swedish), rohtosuoputki (Finnish). Habitat: Masterwort is probably native to the mountainous areas of Central and Southern Europe, including the Carpathians, the Alps, northern Apennines, and the Massif Central but the plant has been widely […]
Pasque Flower Medicinal Uses, Toxicity and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Pulsatilla vulgaris. Other Common Names: Common pasque flower, European pasque flower, windflower, meadow anemone, pulsatilla, pulsatilla (Spanish), Gewöhnliche Küchenschelle (German), pulsatille vulgaire (French), stor kubjelle (Norwegian), backsippa (Swedish), opret kobjælde (Danish), lännenkylmänkukka (Finnish). Habitat: Pasque flower can be found in Eastern and Central Europe north to Denmark and southern Sweden, and in western […]
Wood Avens Benefits and Uses
Botanical Name: Geum urbanum. The Latin name of the species “urbanum” means “of the city” referring to the plant’s liking for areas affected by human activity. Other Common Names: Herb bennet, avens, city avens, European avens, way bennet, Bennet’s root, clove root, colewort, wild rye, benoîte (French), hierba de San Benito (Spanish), febernellikerod (Danish), Stadtnelkenwurz […]
Sorrel Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name: Rumex acetosa. Other Common Names: Common sorrel, cuckoo sorrel, English sorrel, garden sorrel, red sorrel, broadleaf sorrel, sour dock, Sauerampfer (German), oseille sauvage (French), acedera (Spanish), túnsúra (Icelandic), almindelig syre (Danish), niittysuolaheinä (Finnish), angssyra (Swedish), engsyre (Norwegian). Habitat: Sorrel is one of the most common species belonging to the genus Rumex (docks and […]
Red Sage (Dan Shen) Herb Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name of Red Sage: Salvia miltiorrhiza. The plant should not be confused with poor man’s ginseng or dang shen (Codonopsis pilosula). Other Common Names: Chinese sage, red-rooted sage, rødrotsalvie (Norwegian), Chinesischer Salbei or Rotwurzsalbei (German), Kinesisk salvie (Danish), dan shen (Chinese). Habitat: Red sage is native to China and Japan and is cultivated for […]
Goat Willow – Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name: Salix caprea. Other Common Names: Pussy willow, great sallow, saule des chèvres (French), selja (Icelandic), seljepil (Danish), salweide (German), selje (Norwegian), sälg (Swedish), raita (Finnish). Habitat: Goat willow is native to Europe and western and central Asia. It does not tolerate full shade and is often found growing in open fields, in forest […]
