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Common Fumitory, palomilla

Fumaria officinalis

Description:

It is an herbaceous annual plant, which grows weakly erect and scrambling, with stalks about 10 to 50 cm long. Its pink 7 to 9mm flowers appear from April to October in the northern hemisphere. They are two lipped and spurred, with sepals running a quarter the length of the petals. The fruit is an achene. It contains alkaloids, potassium salts, and tannins. It is also a major source of fumaric acid. The "smoky" or "fumy" origin of its name is uncertain.

Habitat:

in a small village

Notes:

It was traditionally thought to be good for the eyes, and to remove skin blemishes. In modern times herbalists use it to treat skin diseases, and conjunctivitis; as well as to cleanse the kidneys. However, Howard (1987) warns that fumitory is poisonous and should only be used "under the direction of a medical herbalist.

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1 Comment

arlanda
arlanda 11 years ago

I just added one extra picture

arlanda
Spotted by
arlanda

Torrejón el Rubio, Extremadura, Spain

Spotted on Mar 31, 2012
Submitted on May 12, 2012

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