Botany Photo of the Day

This is a member of an underused herbal family. All willow herb species contain flavoglycosides, especially derivatives of quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin. Many also contains b-sitosterol, various esters of sitosterol, and sitosterol glucoside used for treating the prostate. Gallic-acid derivatives like those found in green tea are also present, some of which are responsible for the inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase and aromatese enzymes. These enzymes are considered to play key roles in the cancer of the prostate.

Epilobium angustifolium and Epilobium palustre are the species most studied for botanical medicine although Native Americans used a variety of local species.

King's American Dispensatory (1898) describes epilobium as "in certain cases of summer bowel troubles it is without an equal." It also says, "An infusion of the leaves will be found beneficial in leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, and uterine hemorrhage; and forms an excellent local application for ophthalmia, ulcerations of the mouth and throat, and leucorrhoea. The leaves in poultice are a valuable remedy for foul and indolent ulcers" The eclectic physician John Scudder gave the following specific indications for epilobium: "Diarrhoea, with colicky pain; feculent discharges with tenesmus; diarrhoea, with contracted abdomen; chronic diarrhoea, with harsh, dirty, contracted skin." Diarrhoea of typhoid fever; typhoid dysentery.

This has been a great learning experience for me. I have studied many Herbs. Thank you for the wonderful pictures and introducing me to more plants.
Margaret-Rae

Hey Karen. It is good to see an herbal perspective on these pages. Although I am primarily a naturalist, I teach at an herb school here in Vermont. The plant people are so multi-faceted, inviting so many levels of interaction and appreciation! I suspect a rich diversity of these are represented by those visiting these pages. I look forward to more of them being revealed here!

It may be called a weed, but it is a lovely flower and looks similar to pink buttercups here in Texas.

I would also like to add my compliments for BPotD to others I have read over the past few weeks. I was pointed to this website from "This is True"'s Gonzo Site of the Day. It is wonderful and refreshing to see a new plant every day, especially on days when other circumstances seem so sad and depressing. Thank you, BPotD for your lovely website and to "This is True" for pointing me your way.