Gentian
(Gentiana andrewsii)
closed gentian
Description:
A perennial with several smooth ascending stems, 3-4 feet or
more in height. The lance-shaped leaves are opposite to one
another at each joint. A cluster of crowded, tubular greenish-white
to purplish-green flowers grow at the top of the plant. Found
throughout eastern and central U.S. in wet areas.
Medicinal:
It is a anthelmintic, antiseptic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, stomachic,
and tonic. The rhizome and root collected in the autumn and
dried is one of the most useful of the bitter vegetable tonics.
It helps in exhaustion from chronic disease, weakness of the
digestive organs and want of appetite, jaundice, hysteria, fevers,
gout, rheumatism, to reduce vomiting, an aid to digestion, and
nervous distress. As a tonic, it is combined with a purgative,
to prevent its debilitating effects. Steep 1 teaspoon of the
powdered root in 1 cup water for 30 minutes Take 1/2-1 cup twice
a day to strengthen the human system, female weaknesses, jaundice,
appetite. For dyspeptic complaints, it is more effective than
Peruvian Bark.
