Alisma plantago-aquatica
Encyclopedia
The Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), also known as Mad-dog weed, is a perennial flowering plant
native to most of the Northern Hemisphere
, in Europe
, northern Asia
, and North America
. It is found on mud or in fresh waters.
The word alisma is said to be a word of Celtic
origin meaning "water", a reference to the habitat in which it grows. Early botanists named it after the Plantago
because of the similarity of their leaves.
, several basal long stemmed leaves
15–30 cm long, and a triangular stem
up to 1 m tall.
It has branched inflorescence
bearing numerous small flower
s, 1 cm across, with three round or slightly jagged, white or pale purple, petals. The flowers open in the afternoon. There are 3 blunt green sepals, and 6 stamens per flower. The carpels often exist as a flat single whorle. It flowers from June until August.
The word alisma is said to be a word of Celtic
origin meaning "water", a reference to the habitat in which it grows. Early botanists named it after the Plantago
because of the similarity of their leaves.
differs only in that the leaf tips are acuminate and shape is narrow lanceolate.
The roots have formerly been used to cure hydrophobia
, and have a reputation in America
of curing rattlesnake
bites. However this is not proven.
Possible hepoprotective properties.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
native to most of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, northern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It is found on mud or in fresh waters.
The word alisma is said to be a word of Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
origin meaning "water", a reference to the habitat in which it grows. Early botanists named it after the Plantago
Plantago
Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow...
because of the similarity of their leaves.
Description
It is a hairless plant that grows in shallow water, consists of a fibrous rootRoot
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
, several basal long stemmed leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
15–30 cm long, and a triangular stem
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
up to 1 m tall.
It has branched inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bearing numerous small flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, 1 cm across, with three round or slightly jagged, white or pale purple, petals. The flowers open in the afternoon. There are 3 blunt green sepals, and 6 stamens per flower. The carpels often exist as a flat single whorle. It flowers from June until August.
The word alisma is said to be a word of Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
origin meaning "water", a reference to the habitat in which it grows. Early botanists named it after the Plantago
Plantago
Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow...
because of the similarity of their leaves.
Similar species
Narrow leaved water plantain Alisma lanceolatumAlisma lanceolatum
Alisma lanceolatum is a species of aquatic plant in the water plantain family known by the common name lanceleaf water plantain, and also Narrow leaved water plantain...
differs only in that the leaf tips are acuminate and shape is narrow lanceolate.
Traditional uses
Chinese medicinal herb used for edema, diarrhea, strangury, vaginal discharge, dizziness, painful urination, seminal emission, nightsweating, lumbar pain.The roots have formerly been used to cure hydrophobia
Aquaphobia
Aquaphobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of water. Aquaphobia is a specific phobia that involves a level of fear that is beyond the patient's control or that may interfere with daily life. People suffer aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an...
, and have a reputation in America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
of curing rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
bites. However this is not proven.
Research
Possible anti-diabetic herbPossible hepoprotective properties.