Sonchus oleraceus, with many common names including Common Sow thistle, Milk Thistle, Smooth Saw-thistle, Sow Thistle, Annual Sow thistle, annual milk thistle, hare’s-lettuce, common milk thistle, colewort, field sow thistle, hare’s thistle, small sow thistle, Hare’s Colwort, Common Milk Sow-thistle, Milky Tassel, Milk-weed, Thalaak or swinies, is a plant in the dandelion tribe within the Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae (Aster family). The plant is native to Asia and Europe, and it can be found growing in North America, South America, Australia and the Middle East. It is also found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, Greenland, New Zealand,…
Author: Sylvia
Podophyllum peltatum, also known as Mayapple, American mandrake or ground lemon, is actually an herbaceous perennial plant of the Berberidaceae (Barberry) family having umbrella shaped leaves. The plant is native to the woodlands of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada and has been used medicinally for hundreds of years by 1st Nations peoples to treat constipation, wart removal, rheumatism and liver disorders as well as a laxative. It is presently being studied for its possible treatment of leukemia. Some of the popular common names of the plants are American-mandrake, Indian-apple, May apple, Pomme de mai, Wild mandrake, Ground Lemon,…
Prickly sow thistle scientifically known as Sonchus asper is a dicotyledonous perennial or annual herb in the Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae (Aster family). The plant is native to Africa (i.e. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Rwanda, Zaire, Senegal, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana), Madagascar, Europe, western and central Asia (i.e. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia), China and the Indian Sub-continent (i.e. India, Nepal and Pakistan). It is considered a weed in agricultural systems mostly due to its role in harboring diseases and…
Canna indica, Indian shot or African arrowroot is a robust plant species in the family Cannaceae. The plant is native to south eastern United States (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina), Mexico, Central America, the West Indies and much of South America. It is also reportedly naturalized in Austria, Portugal, Spain, Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, most of tropical Africa, Ascension Island, St. Helena, Madagascar, China, Japan, Taiwan, the Bonin Islands, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Java, Malaysia, the Philippines, Christmas Island, the Bismarck Archipelago, Norfolk Island, New South Wales, Queensland, Fiji,…
Silene vulgaris commonly known as bladder campion or maidenstears, is actually a perennial plant species of the genus Silene of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae). The plant is native to Europe and western Asia and naturalized throughout southern Australia and in New Zealand. Nowadays it has been introduced in many other regions of the world, being even considered as a weed. Few of the popular common names of the plants are bird’s eggs, bladder campion, blue root, bubble-poppy, cobwell, devil’s rattlebox, maiden’s tears, maidenstears, rattlebox, rattleweed, sea pink, snappery, white bottle, white hen, Bladder Silene, Cowbell, Blaassilene, smllor and Taubenkropf-Leimkraut. According…
Scolymus hispanicus, the common golden thistle or Spanish oyster thistle, is a flowering plant in the genus Scolymus in the family Asteraceae. It is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant native to southern and western Europe, north to northwestern France. It has a circum-Mediterranean distribution, extending also to northwestern France and the Canary Islands. Few of the popular common names of the plants are cardillo, Golden Thistle, Spanish Salsify, Spanish Oyster-plant, Spanish oysterplant, Common goldenthistle and sunnariah. Plant description Golden thistle is an erect, prickly herbaceous, biennial or short-lived perennial herb that grows about 80 cm tall. The plant…
Carpobrotus edulis, Cape fig or Hottentot fig, is a ground-creeping plant is a member of the fig-marigold family Aizoaceae, one of about 30 species in the genus Carpobrotus. It was previously classified in Mesembryanthemum and is sometimes referred to by this name: Mesembryanthemum edule. It is a creeping, mat-forming herb native to South Africa, but has established in many cooler, very sandy soiled, Mediterranean regions of California and Australia. Few of the popular common names of the plant are Cape fig, Fig-marigold, Highway ice plant, Hottentot fig, Ice plant, Sour fig, Pigface, Yellow-flowering sour fig, Freeway iceplant, kaffir fig and…
Rumex pulcher is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name fiddle dock. The plant is native to Eurasia and North Africa and it can be found elsewhere, including parts of North America, as an introduced species and a roadside weed. It is quite variable in appearance, and some authorities divide it into several subspecies that are more or less distinguishable. Few of the popular common names of the plant are fiddle leaf dock, red dock, slender dock, fiddle and fiddle dock. Rumex is derived from the Latin name for Sorrel. Pulcher is Latin…
Rubus ulmifolius commonly known as elm-leaf blackberry in English and zarzamora in Spanish is a species of wild blackberry native to Western Europe, from the Netherlands south to Spain and Portugal, in Britain and Ireland, as well as NW Africa. It has been introduced widely and is invasive and a problem in parts of Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. It colonizes natural and semi-natural ecosystems where it competes with and displaces native plant species and degrades habitats negatively impacting native fauna. It is a species of flower plant belonging to the Rubus L. genus and Rosaceae…
Plantago lanceolata also known as narrow leaved plantain, English plantain, Buckhorn plantain and ribwort plantain, is an erect cool-season perennial plant that is a member of the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). Generally, plantains are categorized under two groups, narrow leaf and broad leaf. The plant is native to northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), the Azores, the Canary Islands, Europe, western and central Asia and the Indian Sub-continent (i.e. northern India, Nepal and Pakistan). It is known by the common names black jack, black plantain, buckhorn, buckhorn plantain, buckhorn ribgrass, common plantain, English plantain, German psyllium, hen plant,…
Known scientifically as Backhousia citriodora, lemon myrtle is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and genus Backhousia. The plant is native to subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland, Australia, with a natural distribution from Mackay to Brisbane. Few of the other popular common names of the plants are Lemon scented myrtle, Lemon Ironwood, Sweet verbena tree, Sweet verbena myrtle, Lemon scented verbena, Lemon scented Backhousia and Lemon scented ironwood. It is one of the well-known bush food flavors and is occasionally referred to as the “Queen of the lemon herbs”. The plant was given the botanical name Backhousia…
Myrtus communis, the common myrtle or mytle, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It is an evergreen shrub native to Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. It is also distributed in South America, North western Himalaya and Australia and widespread in the Mediterranean region. It is one of the four species used by Jews in their religious rituals on the festival of Sukkot. Few of the popular common names of the plant are Foxtail Myrtle, Echte Myrte, Maile haole, Mirto, Mrca, Murta, Myrte, Periwinkle, Rihan, Tassie berry, Common Myrtle, True Myrtle, Sweet Myrtle, Roman…
Montia fontana, commonly known as blinks or water blinks is a herbaceous annual plant of the genus Montia and Portulacaceae (Purslane family). It is a common plant that can be found in wet environments around the globe, from the tropics to the Arctic. It is quite variable in morphology, taking a variety of forms. It is sometimes aquatic. The plant is native to California, also outside of California, but is limited to North America. It is an aquatic plant traditionally consumed in the Centre and West of the Iberian Peninsula, where it is one of the most highly valued wild…
Jatropha curcas also known as Barbados nut is a perennial shrub or small tree belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. The region of its exact origin is uncertain, but it is assumed to be Mexico and Central America. However it has been introduced to Africa and is now cultivated worldwide. Some of the popular common names of Barbados nut are Barbados nut tree, Bed bug plant, Big purge nut, Black vomit nut, Brazilian stinging nut, Bubble bush, Cuban physic nut, Curcas bean, Fig nut, Physic nut, Pig nut, Poison nut, Purgenut, Purging nut, Purging nut tree, Wild castor, jatropha…
Euphorbia lathyris, the caper spurge or paper spurge, is a member of Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) native to southern Europe (France, Italy, Greece, northwest Africa, and eastward through southwest Asia to western China. Other names occasionally used include Caper spurge, Gopherplant, Moleplant, Mole plant, Myrtle spurge, Gopher spurge, Paper spurge, Petroleum plant, euphorbia-oil plant, myrtle spurge, spring wort, Wide caper, caper bush, gopher spurge, mole weed, spurge and sassy jack. Genus was named after Euphorbes, the personal physician to the Numidian King Juba II, who is said to have discovered the toxic and curative potential of the white and milky sap…
Known scientifically as Malva sylvestris, Common Mallow is a species of the mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae that also has a number of other common names including Mallow, Blue mallow, Cheeses, Forest mallow, High mallow, Tall mallow, Garden mallow, High cheeseweed, Purple mallow, malva, panecillos, French Hollyhock, tree mallow, billy buttons, buttonweed, cheeseplant, dwarf mallow, low mallow, mallish, round leaf mallow, cheese mallow, dwarf mallow, malice, round dock, round-leaved mallow and running mallow. The plant is native to Europe, North Africa, and southwestern Asia. The plants have been naturalized in North America and are cultivated from Western…
Known scientifically as Crithmum maritmum, rock samphire is a salt tolerant hardy, succulent plant that also has a number of other common names including Samphire, Sea-fennel, Crest Marine, Sampier, True samphire, sea samphire, rock fennel, crest marine and stone Samphire. The plant is native to Southern and western coasts of Britain and Ireland, on Mediterranean and western coasts of Europe including the Canary Islands, North Africa and the Black Sea. Both the genus name Crithmum and the plants colloquial Greek name, ‘Kritamo’, is thought to come from the ancient Greek word for barley, ‘krithmon’, because the seeds of both plants…
Chondrilla juncea is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower (Asteraceae) known by a number of common names, including Dandelion, Skeleton Weed, Chondrilla, Gum succor, Hogbite, Naked weed, Rush skeleton-weed, Skeleton-weed, Gum succory, Devil’s-Grass, Ajenjera, Ajinjera, Balaguera, Baleo, Citnik, Karavuk, Su porru, Tavka and succory. The plant is native to Western Europe, North Africa and central Asia. It is invasive in Australia, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and a number of states in the USA. It is known throughout most temperate regions of the world as an introduced species which is usually considered a noxious weed. Rush skeleton…
Sea beet scientifically known as Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima is a member of the family Amaranthaceae, previously of the Chenopodiaceae. Carl Linnaeus first described Beta vulgaris in 1753; in the second edition of Species Plantarum in 1762, he divided the species into wild and cultivated varieties, giving the name Beta maritima to the wild taxon. Sea beet is native to the coasts of Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia. It is the wild ancestor of common vegetables such as beetroot, sugar beet, and Swiss chard. Its leaves have a pleasant texture and taste when served raw or cooked, and because…
Asparagus acutifolius commonly known as wild asparagus is an evergreen perennial plant belonging to the genus Asparagus and Liliaceae (Lily family). Although it is occasionally referred to as Chinese asparagus, wild asparagus originated in the Mediterranean. It is now a popular herb in both Chinese and Korean medicine, and grows in the mountainous regions of both countries. The root is used medicinally. Very few common names of the plant are lesser asparagus, Wild asparagus and Chinese asparagus. Wild Asparagus is actually an uncultivated asparagus that grows on its own in the wild. The specific epithet, acutifolius, meaning “thorny leaves”, is…
Apium nodiflorum synonym Helosciadium nodiflorum, commonly known as fool’s-water-cress, is a flowering plant of the genus Apium and Apiaceae ⁄ Umbelliferae (Carrot family) found in ditches or streams of Western Europe. Its duration is perennial which means it will grow year after year. The plant is considered to be native of Western Europe and is found throughout the North Island and the north and west of the South Island of New Zealand. Apart from Fool’s water cress it is also known as European marshwort, Fool’s-water-cress, Wild celery, Lebanese Cress, Poor Man’s Watercress and Procumbent Marshwort. Apium is derived from the…
Italian bugloss scientifically known as Anchusa azurea is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, known by the common names Garden anchusa, Italian alkanet, Italian bugloss, Large blue alkanet, Italian anchusa, Lengua de vaca and summer forget me not. It is a bristly perennial which reaches just over half a meter in height. The plant is native to central, southern, and Western Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, although it also grows naturalized in northern Europe. Other places we find it are Pakistan, Cypress, Russia, and Turkey. Apart from that the plant is well-known elsewhere as a noxious…
Allium ampeloprasum commonly known as Wild Leek is a part of the allium family which includes leeks, onions, garlic, shallots, green onions (scallions) and chives. The wild plant is commonly known as wild leek or broadleaf wild leek. Allium ampeloprasum is regarded as native to all the countries bordering on the Black, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas from Portugal to Egypt to Romania. In Russia and Ukraine, it is considered offensive except in Crimea, where it is native. It is also native to Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Iran and Iraq. It is considered naturalized in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic, the…
Country mallow also referred to by its scientific name Sida cordifolia Linn is a long-lived herbaceous plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. The plant is native to Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and India and grows in all the places in Rajasthan. You find it in French Polynesia, southern United States, New Guinea, Australia, Africa, and the Hawaiian Islands. In India Sida cordifolia Linn is commonly known as Bala, which is widely used in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine in India and various other countries for immunity. Few of the popular common names of the plant are bala, country mallow,…
Caesalpinia Bonducella commonly known as Bonduc nut, Fever nut or Gray nicker is a large, thorny, straggling, shrub belonging to the plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to hotter places in India, Sri Lanka and Burma. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Bonduc nut, Fever nut, Gray nicker, Gray nicker bean, Grey nicker bean, Guilandina seed, Molucca nut, Nicker nut, Physic nut, Fever nut, Physic nut, Sea pearl, Wait-a-while, Yellow nicker, Cassie, Cockspur, Gray Nickarnut, Gray Nickel, Gray Nickerbean, Guilandina Seed, Indian Nut, Mysore Thorn, Sea Pod, Divi-divi, beach nicker, gray…
Shatavari is scientifically known as Asparagus racemosus is a much-branched, spinous under-shrub of the Liliaceae (Lily Family). The plant is native to Africa, Australia, India and Asia. It can also be found in southern parts of China. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Asparagus-fern, Sparrow grass, satawari, buttermilk root, climbing asparagus, water root, wild asparagus, wild carrot, Indian asparagus, Sataver white and Sataver yellow. In Sanskrit this plant is called shatavari which means ‘able to have one hundred husbands’ and in Ayurveda this amazing herb is known as the “queen of herbs” because it promotes love,…
Acorus calamus also called sweet flag or calamus, among many common names is a species of flowering plant, a tall wetland monocot of the family Acoraceae, in the genus Acorus. It is a popular plant with many names including Beewort, bacc, bitter pepper root, calamus root, flag root, gladdon, myrtle flag, myrtle grass, myrtle root, myrtle sedge, pine root, sea sedge, sweet cane, sweet case, sweet cinnamon, sweet grass, sweet myrtle, sweet root, sweet rush, sweet sedge, muskrat root, muskrat root, rat root, sweet calomel, sweet flag, sweet calamus, cinnamon sedge and others. The plant is native to India, central…
Picrorhiza kurroa of the family scrophulariaceae (a large plant family with 3000 species and 200 genera), also known as Kutki or Katuki, is actually a perennial herb used in Ayurveda and sometimes used as a substitute for the herb gentiana kurroo; and tends to grow in the Himalaya region on rocky places within 3000-5000 m above sea level. The plant is native to Himalayan region across Pakistan, India, Southeast Tibet, Nepal, North Burma and West China. Within India, it is found in the alpine Himalayas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttara khand and Sikkim. Few of the popular common…
Indian devil tree scientifically known as Alstonia scholaris is an evergreen tropical tree in the family Apocynaceae. The plant is native to the lowland and mountain rainforests of Indian subcontinent, Malay Peninsula, and Australasia. The plant grows throughout the humid regions of India, especially in West Bengal and west-coast forests of south India. Few of the popular common names of the plants are blackboard tree, devil tree, ditabark, milkwood-pine, saptparni, shaitan tree, white cheesewood, Milky Pine, Djetutung, White Pine, Palmira Alstonia, Pine, Milky, Pulai, Jelutong, Australian fever bark tree, Australian quinine bark tree, bitter-bark tree, blackboard tree, chatiyan wood, shaitan,…
Cassia fistula commonly known as Amaltas, golden rain tree, canafistula is a slow growing, flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. The plant is native to South-East Asia, and was introduced throughout the tropics. It have escaped cultivation in Costa Rica, Guyana, and French Guiana, and are naturalized in many parts of the tropics including the West Indies, Mexico, Ecuador, Belize, and parts of Micronesia. It is considered as an invasive in Queensland, Australia. Apart from Amaltas it is also known as Golden Shower, Purging Cassia, Golden Chain Tree, Indian Laburnum, golden shower tree, pudding pipe tree, Cassia fistula, Ai-kadus, Alash,…