Herb Library

Potentilla hippiana

Native American medicinal plant used as burn dressing, dermatological aid, gynecological aid, panacea. Documented among Navajo, Kayenta, Navajo, Ramah.

Geranium erianthum

Native American medicinal plant used as throat aid. Documented among Aleut.

Sphenosciadium capitellatum

Native American medicinal plant used as venereal aid. Documented among Paiute.

Arctostaphylos tomentosa

Native American medicinal plant used as antihemorrhagic, dietary aid, gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Costanoan (Olhonean), Miwok.

Plantago patagonica

Native American medicinal plant used as psychological aid, analgesic, antidiarrheal, gastrointestinal aid, laxative, pediatric aid. Documented among Hopi, Keres, Western, Navajo.

Chaptalia tomentosa

Native American medicinal plant used as antirheumatic (external), urinary aid. Documented among Seminole.

Tripterocalyx carnea

Native American medicinal plant used as pediatric aid, sedative, other, witchcraft medicine, diaphoretic, snake bite remedy. Documented among Hopi, Navajo, Ramah, Zuni.

Sedum stenopetalum

Native American medicinal plant used as venereal aid. Documented among Okanagan-Colville.

Stachys betonicifolia

A medicinal plant (Stachys betonicifolia) from the Lamiaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Solidago rugosa

Native American medicinal plant used as liver aid, other. Documented among Iroquois.

Lupinus wyethii

Native American medicinal plant used as eye medicine. Documented among Okanagan-Colville.

Castilleja linariifolia

Native American medicinal plant used as contraceptive, gynecological aid, analgesic, gastrointestinal aid, blood medicine, cathartic. Documented among Hopi, Navajo, Ramah, Shoshoni.

Xanthosoma sagittifolium

Caribbean and West African food plant with medicinal leaf preparations. Heated leaf applied as poultice for boils and abscesses in Caribbean folk medicine. Rhizome (corm) eaten as staple food after cooking. Contains calcium oxalate — must be cooked.

Ximenia americana

Pan-tropical tree used in southern African and West African medicine for wound healing, skin conditions, and infections. Seed oil (ximenynic acid) for skin and hair. Bark for malaria and STIs. Contains cyanogenic glycosides in seeds — process before use.

Rubus frondosus

Native American medicinal plant used as abortifacient, pulmonary aid. Documented among Chippewa.

Ilex vomitoria

Native American medicinal plant used as ceremonial medicine, emetic, hallucinogen, cathartic, psychological aid. Documented among Alabama, Cherokee, Creek.

Geum aleppicum

Native American medicinal plant used as diaphoretic, panacea, pediatric aid, throat aid, toothache remedy, anticonvulsive. Documented among Cree, Woodlands, Iroquois, Malecite.

Oenothera flava

Native American medicinal plant used as burn dressing, panacea, throat aid. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Platanthera ciliaris

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, antidiarrheal, snake bite remedy. Documented among Cherokee, Seminole.

Agastache nepetoides

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Iroquois.

Hedychium flavum

A medicinal plant (Hedychium flavum) from the Zingiberaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Evernia sp.

Native American medicinal plant used as poison. Documented among Modesse.

Caesalpinia bonduc

Native American medicinal plant used as blood medicine, laxative, pediatric aid, pulmonary aid. Documented among Hawaiian.

Thevetia neriifolia

A medicinal plant (Thevetia neriifolia) from the Apocynaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Penstemon confertus

Native American medicinal plant used as cathartic, dermatological aid, gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Thompson.

Taenidia integerrima

Native American medicinal plant used as adjuvant, pulmonary aid, respiratory aid, hunting medicine. Documented among Menominee, Meskwaki, Ojibwa.

Nuphar lutea

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, anticonvulsive, blood medicine, febrifuge, gastrointestinal aid, heart medicine. Documented among Iroquois, Menominee, Micmac.

Nuphar sp.

Native American medicinal plant used as love medicine, psychological aid, analgesic. Documented among Abnaki, Iroquois.

Cirsium ochrocentrum

Native American medicinal plant used as burn dressing, dermatological aid, contraceptive, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic. Documented among Kiowa, Zuni.

Draba incerta

Native American medicinal plant used as abortifacient, nose medicine. Documented among Blackfoot.

Tripterygium wilfordiim

A medicinal plant (Tripterygium wilfordiim) from the Celastraceae family used in traditional medicine.

Forsythia viridissima

Korean species of forsythia used for respiratory infections, fever, and skin eruptions. Similar uses to F. suspensa but locally preferred in Korean traditional medicine.

Clinopodium douglasii

Native American medicinal plant used as cold remedy, febrifuge, anthelmintic, toothache remedy, kidney aid, love medicine. Documented among Cahuilla, Costanoan, Karok.

Anemopsis californica

Traditional Hispanic Southwest remedy — "herb of the taming." For infections of mucous membranes: sinusitis, sore throats, gum disease, and yeast infections. Also anti-inflammatory for joints. Important curanderismo (folk healing) herb.

Sauvagesia erecta

Traditional medicinal plant used for tumor.

Anemopsis californica

A Southwestern herb used by many Native American tribes for mucous membrane support, sore throat, urinary infections, and skin conditions.

Eriodictyon californicum

A California/Southwest herb used by indigenous peoples for respiratory support, asthma, and as a pleasant-tasting carrier for bitter medicines.

Cimicifuga simplex

Traditional medicinal plant used for anodyne, bronchitis, febrifuge, rheumatism, sedative, throat, uteritis.

Tolmiea menziesii

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Cowlitz.

Daphne genkwa

Traditional medicinal plant used for anthelminthic, antidote(mushroom), antiphlogistic, antitussive, ascites, bruise, bubo, cancer, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Taxus yunnanensis

A medicinal plant (Taxus yunnanensis) from the Taxaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Zaleya pentandra

Sahelian herb used in Hausa (Nigerian) and Sudanese traditional medicine for intestinal worms, cough, and wound healing. Whole plant decoction for stomach pain. Contains triterpenoid saponins. Used in ethnoveterinary medicine for livestock.

Anisodus tanguticus

A medicinal plant (Anisodus tanguticus) from the Solanaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Zanha golungensis

East African tree from the soapberry family used in Mozambican and Tanzanian traditional medicine for malaria, stomachache, and wound treatment. Roots prepared as decoction for fever.

Zanthoxylum chalybeum

East African tree used by Maasai and other pastoralist communities for malaria, cough, and toothache. Bark chewed for dental pain (numbing effect from alkylamides). Contains pellitorine and chelerythrine. Important Maasai traditional medicine.

Desmodium incanum

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, febrifuge, gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Seminole.

Solidago flexicaulis

Native American medicinal plant used as throat aid, gastrointestinal aid, analgesic, hemostat, febrifuge. Documented among Chippewa, Iroquois, Menominee.

Ziziphus mauritiana

Pan-tropical jujube relative used in Ayurveda, Unani, and African medicine. Bark decoction for diarrhea and wounds. Leaf paste for boils and abscesses. Root for fever. Different species from Chinese jujube (Z. jujuba). Fruit is popular snack across tropics.