Herb Library

Acacia leucophloea

A medicinal plant (Acacia leucophloea) from the Fabaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Piper umbellatum

Pan-tropical pepper relative used in Brazilian, Central African, and Caribbean folk medicine for inflammation, fever, and liver protection. Leaf poultice for headache (placed on forehead). Contains 4-nerolidylcatechol with anti-inflammatory properties.

Coleus amboinicus

Pan-tropical aromatic succulent herb used in Indonesian (daun jinten), Indian, and Caribbean folk medicine for cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and digestive complaints. Leaf juice for insect bites. Contains carvacrol and thymol. Culinary herb in many cultures.

Santalum lanceolatum

Aboriginal bush food and medicine used for sore eyes, coughs, and skin conditions. The sweet fruit is eaten fresh and leaves are prepared as a wash for skin sores.

Brickellia brachyphylla

Native American medicinal plant used as disinfectant, pediatric aid. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Plumeria rubra

Pan-tropical ornamental tree with medicinal uses across multiple traditions. Bark decoction for fever, malaria, and venereal diseases in Southeast Asian and Pacific Island medicine. Latex for skin conditions and toothache. Contains plumericin and isoplumericin.

Monarda pectinata

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid, analgesic, gastrointestinal aid, ceremonial medicine, cough medicine, febrifuge. Documented among Kiowa, Navajo, Navajo, Kayenta.

Sisyrinchium campestre

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, gynecological aid, respiratory aid. Documented among Meskwaki.

Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Comanche.

Desmanthus illinoensis

Native American medicinal plant used as eye medicine, dermatological aid. Documented among Paiute, Pawnee.

Malus ioensis

Native American medicinal plant used as misc. disease remedy. Documented among Meskwaki.

Erigeron strigosus

Native American medicinal plant used as heart medicine, analgesic. Documented among Catawba, Ojibwa.

Psorospermum febrifugum

West African tree used in Malian and Burkinabe traditional medicine for malaria, skin diseases, and leprosy. Contains psorospermone xanthone with documented antitumor activity against leukemia cells. Name references fever-treating properties.

Rhus trilobata

Native American medicinal plant used as eye medicine, pediatric aid. Documented among Diegueno.

Bovista plumbea

Native American medicinal plant used as poison. Documented among Haisla and Hanaksiala.

Pellaea atropurpurea

Native American medicinal plant used as blood medicine, kidney aid, preventive medicine. Documented among Mahuna.

Vernonia cinerea

Traditional medicinal plant used for ache(head), ache(stomach), alexipharmic, amebiasis, antidote, cancer, cholera, colic, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Rubus odoratus

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, antirheumatic (external), cathartic, cough medicine, dermatological aid, emetic. Documented among Cherokee, Iroquois.

Houstonia wrightii

Native American medicinal plant used as ceremonial medicine, dermatological aid, disinfectant, panacea. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Crataegus submollis

Native American medicinal plant used as witchcraft medicine. Documented among Iroquois.

Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco

Traditional medicinal plant used for asthma, fever, malaria, stimulant, tonic.

Alstonia constricta

Aboriginal antipyretic used for fever, especially malarial fever. Contains alstonine and other indole alkaloids with antimalarial and bitter tonic properties.

Crotalaria rotundifolia

Native American medicinal plant used as throat aid. Documented among Seminole.

Chrysothamnus sp.

Native American medicinal plant used as febrifuge, toothache remedy, venereal aid, cold remedy, oral aid, throat aid. Documented among Isleta, Jemez, Keres, Western.

Ericameria bloomeri

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Klamath.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Native American medicinal plant used as sedative, analgesic, antirheumatic (internal), cold remedy, cough medicine, misc. disease remedy. Documented among Alabama, Cherokee, Choctaw.

Bahia dissecta

Native American medicinal plant used as cathartic, emetic, analgesic, antirheumatic (internal), contraceptive, gynecological aid. Documented among Keres, Western, Navajo, Ramah, Zuni.

Lycopodium obscurum

Native American medicinal plant used as antirheumatic (external), blood medicine, gynecological aid, diuretic, hemostat. Documented among Chippewa, Iroquois, Ojibwa.

Erigeron aphanactis

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, cathartic, emetic, gastrointestinal aid, eye medicine. Documented among Paiute, Shoshoni.

Actaea rubra

Traditional medicinal plant used for cold, cough, poison.

Mahonia haematocarpa

Native American medicinal plant used as eye medicine. Documented among Apache, Mescalero.

Persea borbonia

Native American medicinal plant used as abortifacient, analgesic, antidiarrheal, antiemetic, antirheumatic (external), ceremonial medicine. Documented among Seminole.

Houstonia rubra

Native American medicinal plant used as eye medicine, gastrointestinal aid, gynecological aid. Documented among Keres, Western, Navajo, Kayenta.

Aesculus pavia

Native American medicinal plant used as antirheumatic (external), cancer treatment, dermatological aid, gastrointestinal aid, gynecological aid, hemorrhoid remedy. Documented among Cherokee.

Frangula rubra

Native American medicinal plant used as cathartic. Documented among Miwok.

Aquilegia canadensis

Native American medicinal plant used as gynecological aid, heart medicine, dermatological aid, kidney aid, witchcraft medicine, antidiarrheal. Documented among Cherokee, Iroquois, Meskwaki.

Gaillardia pinnatifida

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, diuretic, gynecological aid, psychological aid, misc. disease remedy, other. Documented among Hopi, Keres, Western, Navajo.

Vaccinium parvifolium

Native American medicinal plant used as cold remedy. Documented among Skagit, Skagit, Upper.

Morus rubra

Native American medicinal plant used as urinary aid, anthelmintic, antidiarrheal, cathartic, laxative, emetic. Documented among Alabama, Cherokee, Creek.

Eriogonum racemosum

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, orthopedic aid, blood medicine. Documented among Navajo, Kayenta, Navajo, Ramah.

Erodium cicutarium

Native American medicinal plant used as misc. disease remedy, gynecological aid, dermatological aid, disinfectant, gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Costanoan, Jemez, Navajo, Kayenta.

Rheum rhabarbarum

Traditional medicinal plant used for astringent, depurative, laxative, stomachic, tonic.

Chamaesyce glyptosperma

Native American medicinal plant used as gland medicine, gynecological aid, snake bite remedy. Documented among Iroquois, Thompson.

Senna alata

A medicinal plant (Senna alata) from the Fabaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Betula nigra

Native American medicinal plant used as antidiarrheal, cold remedy, gastrointestinal aid, urinary aid, analgesic. Documented among Cherokee, Chippewa.

Dalibarda repens

Native American medicinal plant used as blood medicine, venereal aid. Documented among Iroquois.

Erigeron pulchellus

Native American medicinal plant used as abortifacient, analgesic, anticonvulsive, antihemorrhagic, cold remedy, cough medicine. Documented among Cherokee, Iroquois.

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum

Native American medicinal plant used as antidiarrheal, cold remedy. Documented among Paiute, Shoshoni.