Symphytum officinale
Encyclopedia
Symphytum officinale is a perennial flowering plant
of the genus Symphytum
in the family Boraginaceae
. Along with several other species of Symphytum, it is commonly known as comfrey
. To differentiate it from other comfreys, this species may be known as common comfrey, Quaker comfrey, and cultivated comfrey. Other common names include boneset, knitbone, consound, and slippery-root. It is native to Europe and it is known elsewhere, including North America, as an introduced species
and sometimes a weed
.
Comfrey has been used in folk medicine
as a poultice
for treating burns and wounds. However, internal consumption, such as in the form of herbal tea, is discouraged, as it has been highly debated about whether it can cause serious liver damage..
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...
of the genus Symphytum
Symphytum
Symphytum is a genus in the Boraginaceae family. Its species are known by the common name comfrey. Some species and hybrids, particularly S. officinale and S. × uplandicum, are used in gardening and herbal medicine.Species include:...
in the family Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae, the Borage or Forget-me-not family, include a variety of shrubs, trees, and herbs, totaling about 2,000 species in 146 genera found worldwide.A number of familiar plants belong to this family....
. Along with several other species of Symphytum, it is commonly known as comfrey
Comfrey
Comfrey is an important herb in organic gardening. It is used as a fertilizer and also has many purported medicinal uses...
. To differentiate it from other comfreys, this species may be known as common comfrey, Quaker comfrey, and cultivated comfrey. Other common names include boneset, knitbone, consound, and slippery-root. It is native to Europe and it is known elsewhere, including North America, as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and sometimes a weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
.
Description
The hardy plant can grow to a height of one meter.Comfrey has been used in folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
as a poultice
Poultice
A poultice, also called cataplasm, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. It can be used on wounds such as cuts...
for treating burns and wounds. However, internal consumption, such as in the form of herbal tea, is discouraged, as it has been highly debated about whether it can cause serious liver damage..