Botanical: Polygonum erectum (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Polygonacea
---Part Used---Whole herb.
---Habitat---British America, and Western and Middle States.
---Description---This perennial herb was discovered in North America in 1790, but up to date it has not been largely utilized. It is a variety of the English one - Polygonum aviculare, and has similar properties. It has an upright smooth branched stem and grows from 1 to 3 feet high. Leaves are smooth, broadly obvate, rather obtuse- 1 to 2 inches long - and about half as broad - either sessile or petiolate. Flowers bloom June to September in bunches at axils of the leaves.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---It is highly astringent as an infusion or decoction; useful in diarrhcea as an injection and in children's summer complaints; also as a good gargle and a valuable remedy for inflammatory diseases of the tissues.
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Bear in mind "A Modern Herbal" was written with the conventional wisdom of the early 1900's. This should be taken into account as some of the information may now be considered inaccurate, or not in accordance with modern medicine.
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