Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines: Selaginella, Spikemoss and Spirea, Meadowsweet

 

Selaginella, Spikemoss

Only one variety of Spikemoss has documented use in Herbal Medicine, Selaginella tamariscina.

Four are native to my region: Selaginella acanthonota (Spiny Spikemoss, Sand Spikemoss), Selaginella apoda (Meadow Spikemoss), Selaginella rupestris (Rock Spikemoss) and Selaginella tortipila. Two are naturalized: Selaginella braunii (Treelet Spikemoss, Braun's Spikemoss) and Selaginella kraussiana (Krauss's Spikemoss, Mat Spikemoss).

Botany in A Day tells us:

Medicinally, the mashed plant can be simmered in milk and used internally or externally for spider or snake bites.

Plants for A Future states:

Medicinal use of Selaginella tamariscina: The whole plant is astringent and haemostatic. A decoction is used in the treatment of traumatic bleeding, haemoptysis in pulmonary disease, gastro-intestinal bleeding, metrorrhagia, haematuria, persistence of post-partum lochial discharge, rectal prolapse and leucorrhoea.

Spirea, Meadowsweet

Several varieties of Spirea are used in Herbal Medicine. Five that are shrub-form are native to my region: Spiraea alba (Narrowleaf Meadowsweet), Spiraea corymbosa (Dwarf Spiraea, Rock Spiraea), Spiraea latifolia (Broadleaf Meadowsweet), Spiraea tomentosa (Steeplebush, Hardhack) and Spiraea virginiana (Virginia Meadowsweet). Six have been naturalized, Spiraea japonica (Japanese Meadowsweet), Spiraea prunifolia (Bridalwreath Spirea), Spiraea salicifolia (Willowleaf Meadowsweet), Spiraea thunbergii (Thunberg's Meadowsweet), Spiraea trilobata var. trilobata (Asian Meadowsweet, Three-lobed Spiraea) and Spiraea ×vanhouttei [cantoniensis × trilobata].

King’s American Dispensatory of 1898 states:

This is a beautiful shrub, common in low grounds and moist meadows, throughout the United States, flowering from May to August. The herbaceous part is used, especially the leaves and bark. It has an odor somewhat resembling that of black tea, and a very astringent, bitter taste, which properties it imparts to boiling water in infusion. It appears to contain tannic and gallic acid, volatile oil and bitter extractive. The fruit is persistent, remaining through the winter, and furnishing food for the snowbird.

Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—Hardback has been found an excellent astringent in summer complaint of children, diarrhoea, and other diseases requiring this class of remedies, and is less offensive to the stomach than most agents of this kind. It has likewise proved efficient as a tonic in cases of debility, convalescence from diarrhoea, dysentery, etc., and to improve the digestive functions. Passive hemorrhages, and menorrhagia have been treated with it, while as an injection good results have been obtained from its use in gleet and leucorrhoea. It is generally given in infusion, the dose being 1 or 2 fluid ounces. A very elegant extract, not inferior to catechu, may be made by carefully evaporating an infusion made by percolation, and which may be given in doses of from 2 to 20 grains. A tincture, well representing the virtues of spiraea, may be prepared from 8 ounces of the fresh leaves and bark to 1 pint of 76 per cent alcohol.

Photo: Filipendula ulmaria 14.Related Species.—Spiraea Ulmaria, Linné. This plant bears small white flowers in corymbs supported on long peduncles. It is indigenous to Europe, where it is known as Meadow-sweet and Queen of the meadow. It has been introduced into this country and is frequently found in cultivation, in which case the flowers are usually double. The chief constituent of this plant is oil of meadow-sweet, first observed in 1835 by Pagenstecher. It is heavier than water, strongly aromatic, solidifies at -20° C. (-4° F.), and produces a deep-violet color with solution of ferric chloride. It consists chiefly of salicylic aldehyde (C6H4OH.CHO) (Dumas, Ettling, 1839), formerly called salicylous acid; some free salicylic acid, a small quantity of methyl salicylate (Schneegans and Gerock, 1892), and traces of piperonal (see Piperinum) and vanillin; also very little of a camphor-like body and a terpene (Ettling). According to Schneegans and Gerock, salicylic aldehyde does not preexist in the flowers, but is formed during distillation by the action of a ferment upon a substance as yet unknown; it is not salicin. (See details regarding the chemistry of the oils obtainable from the different parts and species of Spiraea, in Gildemeister and Hoffmann, Die Aetherischen Oele, 1899, p. 550). This plant is diuretic, astringent and tonic. It has been employed in fevers, like Virginia snakeroot, in dropsy, and in retention of urine due to prostatic enlargement. It relieves urino-genital irritation, influences the prostate gland checking prostatorrhoea, and is useful in gleet, chornic cervicitis, and chronic vaginitis with leucorrhoeal discharges.

Spiraea filipendula, Linné.—Europe. The pyriform or moniliform tubers found upon the long radicles of this plant are reputed useful in restraining excessive mucous discharges. Hydrophobia has also been treated with it. The root contains sugar, starch, and tannin, and when recent an essential oil, probably that common to other species of Spiraea, and salicylic aldehyde, for the latter is known to be present in the branches and leaves of this plant.

Spiraea Aruncus, Linné.—Europe and United States. A perennial herb, with slender racemes of many, small white blossoms. The herb has an aromatic, bitterish, astringent taste, and the odor is pleasant. The flowers, upon distillation with water, yield salicylic aldehyde, while, the herb yields none, but produces hydrocyanic acid. (For further details, see Gildemeister and Hoffmann, loc. cit.: also see Amer. Jour. Pharm., 1892, p. 306.)

Botany in A Day tells us:

Meadowsweet is astringent, diuretic, and it contains methyl salicylate (similar to aspirin or willow), used especially for arthritis, rheumatism and urinary tract infections. Meadowsweet is becoming a popular herbs because the salicylate content is much more reliable from plant to plant than willow or poplars.

Plants for A Future lists only Pirea alba:

Medicinal use of White Meadowsweet: An infusion of the leaves is esteemed as a restorative tonic.

Peterson Field Guides Eastern and Central Medicinal Plants states:

Spirea tomentosa: American Indians used leaf tea for diarrhea, dysentery; flower and leaf tea used for morning sickness. Leaves and flowers were once used to stop bleeding; also for leukorrhea. Other spireas were used similarly.

This article is an excerpt from 

Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast An Herbalist's Guide

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Disclaimer

The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.