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Anaphalis margaritacea
Interesting clusters of white flowers with yellow centers.
This one was found in a meadow near a creek at Anthony Lakes in Eastern Oregon's Wallowa Whitman National Forest.
According to Plants for the Future, "Pearly everlasting was often employed medicinally by native North American Indian tribes who used it in the treatment of a range of ailments[257]. It is little used in modern herbalism. The whole plant is anodyne, antiseptic, astringent, expectorant and sedative[4, 61, 168, 222]. Used internally, it is a good remedy for diarrhoea, dysentery and pulmonary affections[4]. A poultice of the flowers or the whole plant is applied to burns, sores, ulcers, bruises, swellings and rheumatic joints[4, 222, 257]. An infusion of the plant is steamed and inhaled in the treatment of headaches[257]. a cooled infusion of the roots and shots has been used as a laxative and emetic to treat 'poison stomach'[257]. Other Uses Dye; Incense. Yellow to gold, also green and brown dyes can be obtained from the flowers, stems and leaves combined[168]. The leaves, flowers and stems have been used as an incense, especially in baby cradles[257]."
Wow, thank you Peter for the link, there was a lot of information there! I am really interested in edible and medicinal uses for plants so I was thrilled to find out there were so many uses for this one!