| DESCRIPTION: It is a herbaceous plant with a simple stem reaching 30-90 cm in height. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 11 to 19 deeply veined, lanceolate leaflets. It has green to white flowers are in short spikes. The fruit is a pod 4-7 cm long, bur-like, covered with hooked prickles. Seeds are 1-2 mm long, bean shaped, reddish-brown in colour, smooth, and dull. USE: Blackfoot Indians used wild licorice leaves to make poultices for earaches. Roots were used for toothache, fever and to strengthen the voice for singing. Clinically wild licorice is useful against gastric and duodenal ulcers, bronchial asthma and is an additive in cough syrups. It can increase blood pressure. COMMON NAMES: American licorice, Wild licorice FURTHER INF: American licorice is native of North America. It grows in moist habitats such as lakeshores, riverbanks, depressions, shrubby coulees, along irrigation canals, discharge areas and waste areas. Wild licorice is a pioneer species in sandy, moist habitats. It can become a noixius weed. Photosynthetic pathway: C3 |
