THE GIANT HORSETAIL
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Equisetum myrochaetum, fam. EQUISETACEAE
HISTORY: The giant horsetail is quite popular in Mexico and Guatemala, and it is used as a remedy in various diseases. The Lakanadon Indians take a macerate made of the fresh plant as an aphrodisiac.
DESCRIPTION: It is a horsetail species, tall up to 5m, which grows only close to the equatorial forests of the Central America. The resemblance between the giant horsetail and the regular horsetail is quite striking, except for their size, as the very name suggests.
USED PART: the fresh plant.
MAIN CONSTITUENTS: this plant is said to contain an alkaloid, although this was not observed yet.
RECIPES: Prepare a macerate out of 30 gr of the fresh plant in one liter of spring water. Leave for 8-10 hours and drink 3 cups a day.
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Typha rotundiflora, Typha angustifolia, fam. TYPHACEAE
DESCRIPTION: Plant spread in the northern hemisphere, on salted grounds, in sunny places. The plant is 1.5m in height, with lanceolate leaves. The masculine flowers, dark brown, are placed beneath the feminine flowers.
USED PART: leaves and flowers (powder).
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Achillea millefolium, fam COMPOSITAE=ASTERACAE
HISTORY: Very famous plant, from the antiquity, sacred to most North American Indians. It was consumed as macerate, for sustaining the states of trance. In the ancient China it was used in geomancy, especially in the I-Ching. The Nauajo Indiens appreciated the plant for its aphrodisiac characteristics.
DESCRIPTION: Plant with characteristic smell and bitter taste. It has straight stem, less than 70 cm, alternate leaves, small flowers; the marginal flowers are white, the central ones are golden. They appear in flat-topped clusters.
USED PART: flowers, aerial parts, root.
MAIN CONSTITUENTS: volatile oil, alkaloid, tannin, resins, fat oil, magnesium salts.
ACTIONS: It enhances the erotic desire and individual magnetism.