Wild Medicinal Plants of the United States (part 4 of 4)

Mullein; velvet dock; velvet-plant; flannel-leaf.

Tall, erect, biennial weed, sometimes 7 feet in height; naturalized from Europe and growing in fields, pastures, and waste places, Nova Scotia to Minnesota, southward to Florida.

Parts used.—Leaves and flowers (nonofficial).

Verbena hastata L.

Vervain family (Verbenaceae).

Vervain; simpler’s-joy; wild hyssop.

Erect, indigenous perennial, 3 to 4 feet high, found in fields, meadows, and waste places, Canada to Nebraska, New Mexico, and Florida.

Parts used.—Root and herb (nonofficial).

Veronica officinalis L.

Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae).

Common speedwell; Paul’s-betony.

Perennial herb, 3 to 10 inches high; in dry fields and woods, Nova Scotia to Michigan, south to North Carolina and Tennessee.

Part used.—Herb (nonofficial).

Veronica, tall. See Veronica virginica.

Veronica virginica L.⁠[i]

Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae).

Synonym.—Leptandra virginica (L.) Nutt.⁠[i]

Leptandra; Culver’s-root; Culver’s-physic; blackroot; Bowman’s-root; tall speedwell; tall veronica.

Indigenous, perennial plant, 2 to 5 feet high, in moist, rich ground in woods, meadows, and thickets from Canada to Alabama and Nebraska.

Parts used.—Rhizome and roots (official).

Vervain. See Verbena hastata.

Viburnum dentatum L.

Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae).

Arrowwood; mealy-tree.

Smooth, indigenous shrub, about 15 feet in height, growing on low ground and in damp woods and thickets from New Brunswick and Ontario south along the mountains to Georgia, and westward to Minnesota.

Part used.—Bark (nonofficial).

Viburnum lentago L.

Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae).

Nannybush; sheepberry; sweet viburnum.

An indigenous shrub, sometimes a small tree; in rich soil from Canada to Georgia and Missouri.

Part used.—Bark of the root of this species or of V. prunifolium official under the name “Viburnum prunifolium.”

Viburnum opulus. See Viburnum opulus L.

Viburnum opulus L.

Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae).

Viburnum opulus; cramp-bark; high-bush cranberry; squawbush.

Indigenous shrub, 4 to 10 feet in height, found in low, rich woods and borders of fields from New Jersey, Michigan, and Oregon, northward.

Part used.—Bark (official).

Viburnum prunifolium. See Viburnum lentago and V. prunifolium L.

Viburnum prunifolium L.

Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae).

Black haw; sloe; stagbush.

Indigenous shrub or small tree, growing in dry woods and thickets and on rocky hillsides, Connecticut to Florida, west to Michigan and Texas. Most abundant in the South.

Part used.—Bark of the root of this species or of V. lentago official under the name “Viburnum prunifolium.”

Viburnum, sweet. See Viburnum lentago.

Vine-maple. See Menispermum canadense.

Viola odorata L.

Violet family (Violaceae).

English violet; sweet violet; March violet.

Low herb, native of Europe; escaped from gardens, Nova Scotia to New York and New Jersey, and on the Pacific coast.

Part used.—Flowers (nonofficial).

Viola pedata L.

Violet family (Violaceae).

Bird’s-foot violet; wood-violet; snake-violet.

Native plant, perennial, 3 to 10 inches high, occurring in dry fields and on hillsides from Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Missouri.

Parts used.—Herb and root (nonofficial).

Viola tricolor L.

Violet family (Violaceae).

Pansy; heartsease.

Small herb, 4 to 12 inches high, introduced from Europe; found in waste places, sparingly escaped from gardens.

Part used.—Flowering herb (nonofficial).

Violet, bird’s-foot. See Viola pedata.

Violet, dog’s-tooth. See Erythronium americanum.

Violet, English. See Viola odorata.

Violet, March. See Viola odorata.

Violet, rattlesnake-. See Erythronium americanum.

Violet, snake-. See Viola pedata.

Violet, sweet. See Viola odorata.

Violet, wood-. See Viola pedata.

Violet-bloom. See Solanum dulcamara.

Virginia creeper. See Parthenocissus quinquefolia.

Virgin’s-bower. See Clematis virginiana.

Viscum flavescens Pursh. Same as Phoradendron flavescens.

Vomitwort. See Lobelia inflata.

Wafer-ash. See Ptelea trifoliata.

Wahoo. See Euonymus atropurpureus.

Wake-robin. See Arisaema triphyllum and Trillium erectum.

Walnut, white. See Juglans cinerea.

Wartwort. See Gnaphalium uliginosum.

Washingtonia longistylis (Torr.) Britton.

Parsley family (Apiaceae).

Synonym.—Osmorrhiza longistylis DC.

Sweet-cicely; anise-root; sweet chervil.

Erect, rather stout, perennial herb, 2 to 3 feet high, native; in rich, moist woods and banks of streams from Canada to Alabama and Texas.

Part used.—Root (nonofficial).

Water-avens. See Geum rivale.

Water-bugle. See Lycopus virginicus.

Watercup. See Sarracenia flava and S. purpurea.

Watercup, yellow-flowered. See Sarracenia flava.

Water-eryngo. See Eryngium yuccifolium.

Water-flag. See Iris versicolor.

Water-hemlock. See Cicuta maculata.

Water-hoarhound. See Lycopus virginicus.

Water-lily. See Castalia odorata.

Water-lily, sweet-scented. See Castalia odorata.

Water-pepper. See Polygonum hydropiper.

Water-shamrock. See Menyanthes trifoliata.

Water-smartweed. See Polygonum punctatum.

Waxberry. See Myrica cerifera.

Wax-myrtle. See Myrica cerifera.

Waxwork. See Celastrus scandens.

Waythorn. See Rhamnus cathartica.

White-bark. See Populus alba.

Whiteroot. See Asclepias tuberosa.

Whitethorn. See Crataegus oxyacantha.

Whitewood. See Liriodendron tulipifera and Tilia americana.

Wickopy. See Dirca palustris.

Wickup. See Chamaenerion angustifolium and Epilobium palustre.

Willow, black. See Salix nigra.

Willow, European. See Salix alba.

Willow, pussy-. See Salix nigra.

Willow, rose-. See Cornus amomum.

Willow, swamp-. See Salix nigra.

Willow, white. See Salix alba.

Willow-herb, great. See Chamaenerion angustifolium.

Willow-herb, night. See Oenothera biennis.

Willow-herb, swamp. See Epilobium palustre.

Wingseed. See Ptelea trifoliata.

Winterberry, Virginia. See Ilex verticillata.

Winterbloom. See Hamamelis virginiana.

Wintergreen. See Gaultheria procumbens.

Wintergreen, bitter. See Chimaphila umbellata.

Witch-hazel. See Hamamelis virginiana.

Woodbine, wild. See Gelsemium sempervirens.

Wood-fern, evergreen. See Dryopteris marginalis.

Wood-sorrel, white. See Oxalis acetosella.

Wood-violet. See Viola pedata.

Worm-grass. See Spigelia marilandica.

Wormseed. See Chenopodium anthelminticum.

Wormseed, American. See Chenopodium ambrosioides.

Wormwood. See Artemisia absinthium.

Wormwood, Roman. See Ambrosia artemisiaefolia.

Xanthium spinosum L.

Ragweed family (Ambrosiaceae).

Spiny clotbur; spiny burseed; thorny clotweed; thorny burweed.

An annual weed, 1 to 3 feet high, naturalized from Europe or Asia; in waste ground, Ontario to Florida, westward to Missouri and Texas.

Part used.—Leaves (nonofficial).

Xanthorrhiza apiifolia L’Her.

Crowfoot family (Ranunculaceae).

Shrub yellowroot; southern yellowroot.

Low, shrubby, indigenous perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, growing in woods and along river banks, southwestern New York to Florida, chiefly in the mountains.

Parts used.—Rhizome and roots (nonofficial).

Xanthoxylum. See Fagara clava-herculis and Xanthoxylum americanum.

Xanthoxylum americanum Mill.

Rue family (Rutaceae).

Synonym.—Xanthoxylum fraxineum Willd.

Xanthoxylum; northern prickly ash; toothache-tree.

Indigenous shrub or small tree, maximum height about 25 feet; common in woods and thickets and along river banks from Virginia, Missouri, and Nebraska northward to Canada.

Parts used.—Bark of this or of Fagara clava-herculis official under the name “Xanthoxylum.” Berries (nonofficial).

Xanthoxylum clava-herculis L. Same as Fagara clava-herculis.

Xanthoxylum fraxineum Willd. Same as Xanthoxylum americanum.

Yam, wild. See Dioscorea villosa.

Yarrow. See Achillea millefolium.

Yellowroot. See Coptis trifolia, Hydrastis canadensis, and Jeffersonia diphylla.

Yellowroot, shrub. See Xanthorrhiza apiifolia.

Yellowroot, southern. See Xanthorrhiza apiifolia.

Yellowthorn. See Fagara clava-herculis.

Yellowwood. See Fagara clava-herculis.

Yerba buena. See Micromeria chamissonis.

Yerba reuma. See Frankenia grandifolia.

Yerba santa. See Eriodictyon californicum.

Youthwort. See Drosera rotundifolia and Heracleum lanatum.

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