Elecampane

Description:

Elecampane (Inula helenium), also called Horse-heal or Marchalan (in Welsh), is a perennial composite plant common in many parts of Great Britain, and ranges throughout central and Southern Europe, and in Asia as far eastwards as the Himalayas. It is naturalized in North America. It is a rather rigid herb, the stem of which attains a height of from 90 cm to 150 cm (3 to 5 feet); the leaves are large and toothed, the lower ones stalked, the rest embracing the stem; the flowers are yellow, 5 cm (2 inches) broad, and have many rays, each three-notched at the extremity.

Notes:

In France and Switzerland it is used in the manufacture of absinthe. John Gerard recommended elecampane for "the shortness of breath"; today herbalists prescribe it as an expectorant and for water retention