HERBS 



45 



H-25. HIGH MALLOW, Malva sylves- 

 trus, Mallow Fam. Erect or branching 

 herb, 1-3 1/2' high, with rounded, heart- 

 shaped leaves; small flowers are pink- 

 veined against purple, appearing clus- 

 tered or single. Grows in waste places 

 and in cultivated fields. 



Pliny wrote, "that anyone taking a 

 spoonful of mallows will be free of disease; 

 they soften and heal ulcers and sores, " Parkinson wrote 



'Leaves 



and roots boiled in wine or water or in both with parsley doth help 

 to open the body, for hot agues. Leaves bruised and laid on the 

 eyes with a little honey take away the inflammation from them. " 



Chinese eat the leaves raw in salad or boiled as spinach, Span- 

 ish-Americans use the plants by boiling leaves and making a wash 

 for any bodily disease; headaches are cured by adding salt and 

 vinegar to mashed leaves. Indians use leaves, soft stems and 

 flowers, steeped and made into a poultice for running sores, boils 

 and swellings. An infusion of dried leaves is good for coughs. 



H-26. St. JOHN'S WORT or KLAM- 

 ATH WEED, Hypericum sp,, St. John's 

 Wort Fam. 8" -32" high plant, sending 

 out numerous stemsfroma woody root- 

 stock; opposite leaves; flowers areyel- 

 low, 5-petaled and in rather close clus- 

 ters. It prefers poor, dry soil. 



Parkinson (1640) wrote: "Was pre- 

 pared as an ointment for external use, 

 also as a decoction in wine to drink. 

 A powder was made of the seeds and 

 drunk in juice of knot grass to help all 

 manner of spitting or vomiting of blood 

 be it in any vein, broken inward by 

 bruises or falls. " 



Indians ate the fresh leaves or dried 

 the plant and made a flour that was used in the same way as acorn 

 meal. It was also boiled and used for running sores. A yellow dye 

 is made by boiling in alum water. H. scouleri, Scouler ' s St. 

 John's Wort (illustrated) was boiled and waterused for sores, etc. 



Cult. 



Grass 



Sage 



Most States 

 W. Can. 



Str. Wd. 



Mead. 



Cult. 



Most States 

 W. Can. 



