Alisma plantago-aquatica
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| Alisma plantago-aquatica L. |
The Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), also known as Mad-dog weed, is a flowering plant native to most of the Northern Hemisphere, in Europe, northern Asia, and North America. It grows in shallow water, and consists of a fibrous root, several basal leaves 15-30 cm long, and a triangular stem up to 1 m tall, with a branched inflorescence bearing numerous small flowers with three round or slightly jagged, white or pale purple, petals.
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.
[edit] Medicinal uses
The dried leaves of the water plantain can be used as both a diuretic and a diaphoretic. They have been used to help treat renal calculus, cystitis, dysentery and epilepsy.
The roots have formerly been used to cure hydrophobia, and have a reputation in America of curing rattlesnake bites.
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