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Liver Lily | | Name : | Liver Lily | | Synonyms : | BlueIris
Flaglily
Fleur-de-lis
Flowerde-luce
Iris
Liverlily
Poisonflag
Snakelily
Waterflag
Waterlily
| | Parts Used : | Roots | | Description : | Blueflag is a perennial, 1-3 ft. in height. and grows erect,has narrow, sword-shaped leaves and, from May to July, violet blueflowers streaked with yellow, green, and white. The sword-like leavesare similar to those of garden irises, with flowers violet-blue, sepalsviolet at outer edge; veins prominent, sheaths papery. It preferswet, swampy locations and is found in such spots from Canada to Floridaand west to Arkansas. Wet meadows, moist soil. Native to America,it is both beautiful and potentially poisonous. The flowers yielda blue infusion which can substitute for litmus paper in testing foracids and alkalines, but it is the root which has been most widelyused. When fresh, the root has a slight odor and a pungent, acrid,and nauseous taste, a natural warming of the actively poisonous natureof the fresh root. Although the Indians had some uses for the freshroot, it was usually collected in autumn and dried.
Blue flag is an iris similar in foliage appearance to the sweet flag,Acorus calamus. Unfortunately for some, it has quite different propertiesand if mistakenly used internally as one might sweet flag, the resultscan be disastrous. | | Constituents : | Anti-inflammatory, alterative, cathartic, diuretic, laxative, resolvent,sialagogue, stimulant, vermifuge | | Uses : | American Indians poulticed the root on swellings, sores,wounds, bruises, ulcers,takes away freckles, rheumatism;internally root tea was used as a strong laxative, emetic, and tostimulate bile flow. Useful in cancer, dropsy, impurityof blood, syphilis, skindiseases, liver troubles, and as a laxative. | | Safety : | This herb is potentially fatal. Could cause death or other seriousconsequences. Its use is not recommended without constant medicalsupervision. | | Myths : | About 800 species belonging to more than 50 genera have been describedfrom temperate to tropical climates, mostly from South Africa andtropical America. |
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