Collinsonia canadensis, commonly called richweed[1] or stoneroot,[2] is a species of perennial herb in the mint family.
| Collinsonia canadensis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Collinsonia |
| Species: | C. canadensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Collinsonia canadensis | |
It is native to eastern North America, primarily east of the Mississippi River, where it is widespread. It is the most broadly distributed member of the genus Collinsonia,[3] ranging north to Quebec and south to Florida.[4] Its natural habitat is nutrient-rich mesic forests, most often in rocky, calcareous areas.[5][6] Collinsonia canadensis can grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and has terminal clusters of tiny, tubular yellow flowers. Leaves are green, large, sharply toothed, and ovate.[7]
It produces lemon-scented flowers in mid-summer, a time when little else is in bloom in densely shaded forests.[5]
Traditional herbal use
editCollinsonia canadensis was used by Native Americans to treat a variety of ailments.[3] However, European-American settlers in North America did not often use this species after they initially discovered it, due to it lacking any conspicuous toxic qualities.[8] It was not until the mid-1800s when it regained popularity as a medicinal herb.[9][10]
The leaves can be brewed into tea, and the subterranean stem was once used as a diuretic, tonic, and astringent.[11]
Gallery
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Detail of Collinsonia canadensis flowers.
References
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- ^ NRCS. "Collinsonia canadensis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ Hoffmann, David (2003-10-24). Medical Herbalism. Inner Traditions. p. 383. ISBN 9781594778902.
- ^ a b Yatskievych, George (2013). Flora of Missouri, Volume 3. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. p. 312.
- ^ "Collinsonia canadensis". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ a b IllinoisWildflowers
- ^ Alan Weakley (2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States".
- ^ "Collinsonia canadensis - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Scudder; Fyfe; Felter; Locke; Webster; et al. (1904). Mundy, William (ed.). A Treatise on Collisonia canadensis (PDF). Lloyd Brothers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
- ^ Cook, William (1869). Collinsonia canadensis in Physiomedical Dispensatory. Scanned and republished on Web.
- ^ Petersen, J. Fred (1905). Materia Medica and Clinical Therapeutics.
- ^ Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 571. ISBN 0-394-50432-1.
