Stellaria

Useful properties and applications of chickweed

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Botanical characteristics of chickweed

Stellaria (second widely known name – "woodlouse") is a perennial, rarely annual plant. It belongs to the genus of flowering of the family Caryophyllaceae.

For chickweed typical runners, however, there are species without them. Stems of herbs, glabrous, sometimes hairy, quadrangular. Their length is from 10 to 30 cm In a dominant majority of species the leaves are sessile, linear-lanceolate or ovate.

Flowers regular in shape, bisexual, small, in diameter reaches about 20 mm. depending on the type, there are 4-5 sepals lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate. Bracts are foliaceous or membranous. The petals are white.

The ovary is unilocular at chickweed. The fruit is a polyspermous box of cylindrical shape. Seeds rounded, tuberculate.

Flowering plants occurs from late spring to autumn.

Stellaria is widely distributed throughout the Northern hemisphere. In Russia it can be found anywhere as annoyingly growing weed.

Useful properties of chickweed

Despite the fact that Stellaria is a recognized weed, which is trying to fight all the farmers, gardeners and lovers of flower gardening, it has benefits for humans.

In the above-ground parts of the plant were identified following nutrients: carotene, sinapov acid, essential oil (in small amounts). In the grass (fresh) contains vitamins C and E. In the ash chickweed found a large quantity of chlorine and potassium salts.

Due to such structure the above-ground part zvenchatka effectively used by traditional healers for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, rheumatism, liver, internal bleeding, gout, pulmonary diseases, and also for the normalization of cardiac activity of the body, to strengthen the nervous system and treatment of the thyroid gland.

The use of chickweed

Stellaria – never fully explored medicinal plants. However, it is widely used in homeopathy and folk medicine.

In homeopathy on the basis of fresh chickweed is prepared an essence, and in folk medicine, infusions and decoctions for the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, thyroid, kidney, of edema, diarrhea, lungs, rheumatism, and eruptions of various kinds.

Recipes medicines

Recipe No. 1. 1 tablespoon of fresh raw materials necessary to pour into a container and pour 1 Cup of boiling water. Infuse the composition should be for four hours, then carefully drain. Regimen: 1/4 Cup 4 times a day before meals.

This infusion is intended for treatment of purulent wounds, ulcers, and also useful for joint pain for external use (baths). Recommended compresses infusion to attach to the tumors.

Hot compresses are prescribed for the treatment of patients of the joints, sciatica, rheumatism, arthritisand in sprains.

Recipe № 2. Measure 1 tablespoon of the herb and pour it in a bowl, pour the raw material to 200 ml boiling water and infuse for 1 hour, then strain. Regimen: 50 ml 4 times a day.

The infusion is designated as antiseptic in bacterial diseases of the kidneys, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity.

Recipe No. 3. To prepare the broth should measure 4 tablespoons of raw materials, pour 1 liter of water and boil for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 2 hours, then strain. The tool is designated as a lotion for treatment of skin diseases.

Recipe No. 4. To prepare the tincture should measure 1 tablespoon of the raw pour into a container and add 300 ml of vodka. Infuse the composition must 2 weeks. Do not forget to drain. Regimen: 20 drops 1 time per day. Tincture is indicated for pain in the stomach and in the intestines.

As an effective wound-healing agent used the fresh juice of the chickweed. Regimen: 1 teaspoon before meals 3 times a day (add honey)

In diseases of the thyroid gland and liver is also assigned the fresh juice of the chickweed, make which is recommended for 10-15 days in a similar way: 1 teaspoon for 20-30 minutes before meals 3 times a day.

Chickweed

Chickweed is one - sometimes biennial herb, with a height of about 30 cm of the plant Stem is very thin and, as a rule, lying or rising. He branched, evenly and sparsely foliated. Leaf shape ovate, tips pointed at them. Upper leaves sessile, lower petiolate located.

The flowers are small in size, they are terminal or axillary. Petals white, bifid, with long stalks.A characteristic feature are the buds, not dying in the winter. The fruit of the plant is oblong box with seeds reniform or rounded.

Flowering chickweed occurs from may to September, and ripening from July to October.

As a medicinal raw material use grass plants. Infusions and decoctions prepared on its basis, have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, wound healing, tonic, stimulating and choleretic effect. They help to build metabolic processes in the body, positively affect the Central nervous system, stimulate cardiac activity.

The plant operates in a variety of ways. Preparations made on its basis, serve as an effective choleretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, wound-healing, styptic and tonic. Zvenchatka medium stimulates the heart, the metabolism, a positive effect on the Central nervous system.

This type of plants recommended by folk healers for the treatment of diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, and is designated as an effective laxative and antihistamines.

With the help of infusions of herbs in folk medicine are struggling with sciatica, rheumatism, sprain. It is an effective external remedy for treating open wounds, scrofula, skin rashes, ulcers, inflammation of the eye.

Internally, the tincture of chickweed herb are also taking for the treatment of hemorrhoids, dry cough, hepatitis, tuberculosis of the lungs.

The juice of the herb is indicated for weight loss and General weakness as a tonic, and when vitamin deficiency, hepatitis, cholecystitis.

Recipes infusions and decoctions

Recipe No. 1. You need to take 1 canteen spoon of raw chickweed and pour a glass of boiling water. Infuse the mixture should be 4 hours, then strain. Regimen: 4 times a day (3) for 50 grams. To take remedy recommended for arthritis.

Recipe № 2. Need to take 500 grams of raw materials, pour into a container and pour cool kipyatkov (1 liter). Next you need to put the container on a water bath for 10 minutes, then strain. The broth is intended for outdoor use, it is added to the bath. The duration of the bath is not more than 20 minutes.

Stellaria Asherah

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Stellaria Asherah (another name –"owl potion") is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches a height of 60 cm of the plant Stem decumbent, ascending, from above it is covered with glandular hairs. The leaves of chickweed Asherah thin, ovate, sessile. The flowers are on long pedicels, in terminal and axillary forks. Color the petals white. The fruit of the plant – box.

Flowering occurs from may to mid-July. A characteristic feature of Stellaria Asherah is the ability to evolve, it has multiple subspecies. This species grows in forests, chooses moist habitats.

Stellaria zhestkolistnye

Stellaria zhestkolistnye is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches a height of 10-40 cm From a thin, creeping and branched rhizome. The stalk is four-sided, weak, brittle, ascending or erect. Non-bearing stalks are shorter and especially fragile.

Leaves sessile, opposite, linear or linear-lanceolate. At the edge of the leaves are sharp. Their length is about 70 mm and a width of about 7 mm. In contrast to the stems, leaves, chickweed is very durable.

The flowers are small, they reach a diameter of 3 cm, located on long stalks, bifid, clustered in dichasia. Color the petals white. Sepals ovate-acuminate, acute at the edges. The Corolla is large: it is almost twice the length of calyx. Peduncles rather long and thin.

Flowering plants begins in April and lasts until June. It bears fruit from June to July.

This species actively grows in coniferous, deciduous and coniferous-deciduous forests, preferring the fertile soil found on forest edges, among shrubs. His dwelling place – the European part of Russia, Siberia (the Western part), Asia Minor, Caucasus, Iran and Northern Africa.

Stellaria zhestkolistnye considered melliferous and fodder plants. There is speculation that the plant may cause poisoning of horses.

Stellaria forest

Stellaria forest (other names – "askirka", "cavida") is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches a height of 60 cm, the Stem of a plant, usually procumbent, sometimes ascending. It is smooth and only at the top of fluffy.

Lower leaves cordate, acuminate, upper leaves are oblong – ovate, sessile. Flowers white, in angles of branching of the stem solitary, on the ends of branches – semiumbels. Pedicels horizontal. Chickweed flowers have five sepals, five bifid petals, ten stamens andthree columns.

The fruit of the plant is a capsule, oblong or spherical shape. Flowering of this species occurs from may to August.

This kind of chickweed is widely distributed in the European part of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Arctic and the Caucasus. The plant prefers damp shady forests, places near forest streams and shrubs.

Stellaria forest is a therapeutic plant. Infusions, prepared on its basis, is used to treat fungal infections of the skin. In Mexico it is believed that the use of the plant gives the positive dynamics in the treatment of tumors.

It is worth remembering that the plant is poisonous.

Stellaria Bunge

Stellaria Bunge is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches 20 to 50 cm This species has a thin, creeping rhizome.

The plant stems simple, erect or branched, they are very weak and fragile, covered with glandular hairs.

Length of the lower leaves is from three to eight cm, width – from two to four cm, they are ovate or ovate-oblong. The upper leaves are much smaller, they are smooth, sessile.

The flowers are in axillary dichasia there and end. Pedicels pubescent, their length is 1-5 cm, the Sepals are oblong, with blunt ends and narrow border, their length is small, only 4-6 mm. Petals longer than sepals.

The fruit of the plant is a capsule ovoid in shape, its dimensions are almost identical to the Cup.

Bunge Stellaria blooms from may to August. The plant is used in folk medicine for the treatment of swelling of the feet, tinea. To prepare the broth harvested aerial part of the plant.

Contraindications to the use of chickweed

The Stellaria should be used with caution people who have a tendency to allergic reactions. Discontinue use if hypersensitive to grass.