Contents
What is a purple loosestrife plant?
Characteristics of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Purple loosestrife flower |
Common noun: Purple loosestrife, Purple lythrum, Rainbow weed, Spiked loosestrife
Scientific noun: Lythrum salicaria L.
Family. Purple loosestrife family – Lythraceae
Habitat: By water streams and humid grasslands.
Description of purple loosestrife
Perennial plant of the purple loosestrife family – Lythraceae – up to 1,5 m.
Erect stems, hairy, grooved.
Sessile leaves, lanceolate till 7 cm, gathered in whorls of 3 or opposite.
Purple flowers in non-continuous spikes, with 6 petals till 1,5 cm. By water streams and humid grasslands.
Picking -up and storing
Floral summits should be collected in summer. They should be dried in the shade and stored in cloth bags in a fresh and dry spot.
Components of purple loosestrife
- Acids:
- Ellagic: Antitumoral, antioxidant, astringent, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective
- P-Coumaric: antitumoral,antibacterial, antispasmodic,choleretic
- Chlorogenic: Antitumoral, antihipercholesterolimic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, cholagogue, vulnerary. (Leaves)
- Vitexin: antidermatitic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant.(Leaves)
- Narcissin (Plant)
- Anthocyanins (Flower)
- Salicarin (Plant)
- Pectin: Antidiabetic, antidiarrheic, antiulcerous, peristaltic, hypoglycemic, anticancerous (leaves)
- Tannins: Antiulcerous, antitumoral, antidiarrheic, hepatoprotector, antibacterial, antioxidant. (Flowers and leaves)
More information on plants
This article was endorsed by Julián Masats - Technical agricultural engineer specialized in horticulture and gardening.
