World Wild Flora - Lysimachia vulgaris

Commonly known as Yellow loosestrife, this plant was used from ancient times. It's latin name is derived from the king of Scilly in antiquity - Lysimachius, who discovered the plant's properties - according to Pliny the Elder. In local polish language it's name is 'tojesc'. Yellow loosestrife belongs to Primulaceae family and the species presented here is of Vulgaris kind that grows in the wild.

This species prefers wetlands, damp meadows and forests as it's habitat and is common in Europe, but not only - as it grows also in Northern Africa and Greater Asia. Historical early uses include traditional medicine - to dress wounds and stop the bleeding and to burn as incense to keep out snakes and insects. In the middle ages it started to be used as remedy in colds and coughs, as a help in respiratory diseases, to flush throat and mouth and as a help in digestive problems. Other than that, it was used as dye for fabrics, as yellow and green color were derived from the upper part of the plant and black and brown color from the root part.

Yellow loosestrife today is also used in natural medicine, more as a helper in maintaining healthy skin and hair, but also as a help in the health of joints - all that in the form of herbal baths; besides that it is still a remedy for coughs. As the Wikipedia PL states, Lysimachia Vulgaris is '' diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, protozoicidal, antifungal and antiviral, it increases the secretion of mucus, the process of absorption of nutrients from the intestines into the blood, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, bile and intestinal juice. '' As we can see, it seems like a pretty useful plant.