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 | Mayweed Other Names: Maroute. Maruta cotula. Cotula Maruta foetida. Manzanilla loca. Dog Chamomile.
Botanical Name: Anthemis cotula
Family: N.O. Compositae |
Description: |
This annual herb, growing freely in waste places, resembles the true Chamomile, having large, solitary flowers on erect stems, with conical, solid receptacles, but the white florets have no membraneous scales at their base. It is distinguished from the allied genera by its very foetid odour, which rubbing increases.
The whole plant, including the fennel-like leaves, has this odour and is full of an acrid juice that has caused it to be classed among the vegetable poisons; it is liable to blister.
Its action resembles that of the Chamomiles, but it is weaker, and its odour prevents its general adoption.
Bees dislike it, and it is said to drive away fleas.
The flowers must not be gathered when wet, or they will blacken during drying. |
Habitat: |
| Europe. |
Constituents: |
| The flowers have been found to contain volatile oil, oxalic, valeric and tannic acids, salts of magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium, colouring matter, a bitter extractive and fatty matter. |
Medicinal Usage: |
The flowers are preferred for internal use, being slightly less disagreeable than the leaves. In hysteria it is used in Europe as an antispasmodic and emmenagogue. Applied to the skin fresh and bruised it is a safe vesicant. A poultice helpful in piles can be made from the herb boiled until soft, or it can be used as a bath or fomentation.
It is administered to induce sleep in asthma. In sick headache or convalescence after fever the extract may be used.
A strong decoction can cause sweating and vomiting. It is said to be nearly as valuable as opium in dysentery. It has also been used in scrofula, dysmennorrhoea and flatulent gastritis. |
Ancient Lore: |
MAYWEED (Stinking)
ANTHEMIS COTULA
It has some of the virtues of Chamomile, but has a far more disagreeable taste.
I t grows to a foot (30 cm) high and is also known as Stinking Chamomile as it resembles Chamomile, but the leaves have an unpleasant smell. The flower is white with a high yellow disc.
Where to find it: Cornfields and waste ground.
Flowering time: Late spring, early summer.
Astrology: It is governed by Venus.
Medicinal virtues: It is used for the same purposes as Chamomile, that is to dissolve tumours, expel wind and to ease pains and aches in the joints and other parts. It is also good for women whose matrix has fallen. They should bathe their feet in a decoction of it. Internally the leaves operate by the urine and in some constitutions by the stool. But by both ways roughly, so it should be very cautiously tampered with.
Modern uses: The flowers are preferred to the leaves. They are used to make a poultice to apply to piles and are administered as an infusion to stimulate menstruation. lf given internally too strong it can cause vomiting. The dose of the infusion varies from 1-4 fl OZ (28-114 rnl). |
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