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  • Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link Fabaceae. Common broom, Genista. Distribution: Western and central Europe. Culpeper (1650) writes: 'Genista. Broom: … clense and open the stomach, break the stone in the reins [kidneys] and bladder, help the green sickness [anaemia]. Let such as are troubled with heart qualms or faintings, forbear it, for it weakens the heart and spirit vital' and in respect of the flowers he writes: 'Broome-flowers, purge water, and are good in dropsies [now regarded as heart failure with fluid retention].' Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Athyrium niponicum (Mett.) Hance var. pictum (Maxwell) Fraser-Jenk. Woodsiaceae. Japanese Painted fern. Hardy fern. Distribution: Japan. Young fronds are boiled and eaten in Japan. However after the discovery of thaiminases in certain ferns Pteridum aquilum (bracken), Marsilea drummondii and Cheilanthes sieberi cautions are given regarding the risk of thiaminase in all ferns. It can be mostly removed by boiling, but otherwise causes vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency and beriberi in a matter of weeks. Eating Bracken fern also causes cancer, as do the spores, but I could find no report of other ferns being toxic. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Hacquetia epipactis DC Apiaceae. Small herbaceous perennial. No common name except Hacquetia Distribution: Europe. Named for the Austrian physician, Balthasar (or Belsazar) Hacquet (1739/40-1815). He studied medicine in Vienna, was a surgeon in the brutal Seven Years War (1756-1763) – a world-wide war in which up to 1,400,000 people died. Later he was professor at the University of Lemberg (1788-1810). He wrote widely on many scientific disciplines including geology. Parkinson (1640) grouped it with Helleborus and Veratrum, calling it 'Epipactis Matthioli, Matthiolus, his bastard black hellebore' but does not give any uses. It has no medicinal properties. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Viburnum japonicum Spreng. Caprifoliaceae Distribution: Evergreen Shrub. Distribution: Japan and Taiwan. No medicinal uses. The fruit is a 'famine food' eaten when all else fails. As other seeds/fruits of Viburnum species are listed as poisonous, and none are listed as 'edible', one can assume that the seeds/fruits of V. japonicum are also toxic. It does not appear vulnerable to pests or molluscs which may be due to irioid glycosides that are present in this genus produced as a defence against herbivores, fungi and bacteria. They have a bitter taste. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Viburnum japonicum Spreng. Caprifoliaceae Evergreen Shrub. Distribution: Japan and Taiwan. No medicinal uses. The fruit is a 'famine food' eaten when all else fails. As other seeds/fruits of Viburnum species are listed as poisonous, and none are listed as 'edible', one can assume that the seeds/fruits of V. japonicum are also toxic. It does not appear vulnerable to pests or molluscs which may be due to irioid glycosides that are present in this genus produced as a defence against herbivores, fungi and bacteria. They have a bitter taste. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Viburnum japonicum Spreng. Caprifoliaceae Distribution: Evergreen Shrub. Distribution: Japan and Taiwan. No medicinal uses. The fruit is a 'famine food' eaten when all else fails. As other seeds/fruits of Viburnum species are listed as poisonous, and none are listed as 'edible', one can assume that the seeds/fruits of V. japonicum are also toxic. It does not appear vulnerable to pests or molluscs which may be due to irioid glycosides that are present in this genus produced as a defence against herbivores, fungi and bacteria. They have a bitter taste. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Geranium phaeum L. Geraniaceae Dusky cranesbill. Herbaceous perennial. Distribution: Europe. This seems to be the 'Dove's foote', Geranium alterum, of Lyte (1578). He says it is 'not good in Medicyne. Notwithstanding at this time, it is much used against all woundes, and ulcers being laid therunto.'. Parkinson (1640) classifies cranesbills somewhat differently, but says that 'all are found to be effectual both in inward and outward wounds, to stay bleedings, vomitings and fluxes, eyther the decoction of the herbe or the powder of the leaves and roots used as the cause demands.' No current medicinal use. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Lathyrus vernus (L.)Bernh. Papilionaceae previously Orobus vernus L. (Linnaeus, 1753) Spring vetchling. Distribution: Europe to Siberia. The seeds of several Lathyrus species are toxic, and when eaten cause a condition called lathyrism. The chemical diaminoproprionic acid in the seeds causes paralysis, spinal cord damage, aortic aneurysm, due to poisoning of mitochondria causing cell death. Occurs where food crops are contaminated by Lathyrus plants or where it is eaten as a 'famine food' when no other food is available. It is the Orobus sylvaticus purpureus vernus of Bauhin (1671) and Orobus sylvaticus angustifolius of Parkinson (1640) - who records that country folk had no uses for it. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Lathyrus vernus (L.)Bernh. Papilionaceae previously Orobus vernus L. (Linnaeus, 1753) Spring vetchling. Distribution: Europe to Siberia. The seeds of several Lathyrus species are toxic, and when eaten cause a condition called lathyrism. The chemical diaminoproprionic acid in the seeds causes paralysis, spinal cord damage, aortic aneurysm, due to poisoning of mitochondria causing cell death. Occurs where food crops are contaminated by Lathyrus plants or where it is eaten as a 'famine food' when no other food is available. It is the Orobus sylvaticus purpureus vernus of Bauhin (1671) and Orobus sylvaticus angustifolius of Parkinson (1640) - who records that country folk had no uses for it. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Plectranthus argentatus S.T.Blake Lamiaceae Silver spurflower. Herbaceous perennial. Distribution: Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Little is known of its chemical constituents. It does contain many novel diterpenoids in its leaf glands (Alder, A.C. et al, Helvetica Chimica Acta, 2004, 67(6): 1523 – 1530).This genus has had some species from the genus Coleus incorporated into it, and these form a separate clade on phylogenetic analysis. The species in the ‘Coleus’ clade have a higher incidence of medicinal usage, being used to treat digestive, skin, infective and respiratory problems. They contain monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and diterpenoids. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Erythrina crista-galli L. Fabaceae. Cockspur coral tree. Distribution: South America. The national tree of Argentina, its flowers are pollinated by perching birds unlike many other species which are pollinated by humming birds. An extract from the bark is used as a powerful soporific, also as a gargle for sore throats and in the treatment of cuts, rheumatism and hepatitis, in Brazil (Mors, 1998). The seed contains the alkaloid beta-erythroidine. Analgesics, antimicrobial and anti inflammatory substances are being sought from the leaves. Curare-like action in rats has been reported from the seeds. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Hydrangea quercifolia W.Bartram Hydrangeaceae. Oak-leaved hydrangea. Distribution: South-eastern United States. Beta-dichroine a quinazolinone also called febrifugine from the leaves of hydrangeas is 64-100 times more potent than quinine as an antimalarial in animals, but extremely toxic. A synthesised tolyl derivative, methaqualone (2-methyl-3-o-tolyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone), was found to be a mild hypnotic, and marketed in the sleeping tablet, Mandrax. Widely abused and quickly banned by most countries. Illegal manufacture continues and in South Africa methaqualone is the commonest drug of abuse, mixed with cannabis and smoked. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Erythrina crista-galli L. Fabaceae. Cockspur coral tree. Distribution: South America. The national tree of Argentina, its flowers are pollinated by perching birds unlike many other species which are pollinated by humming birds. An extract from the bark is used as a powerful soporific, also as a gargle for sore throats and in the treatment of cuts, rheumatism and hepatitis, in Brazil (Mors, 1998). The seed contains the alkaloid beta-erythroidine. Analgesics, antimicrobial and anti inflammatory substances are being sought from the leaves. Curare-like action in rats has been reported from the seeds. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Dactylorhiza aff fuchsii Druce ex Soo Orchidaceae Common Spotted orchid. Distribution: Ireland to Mongolia. Roots look like a hand. Coles (1657) calls them Palma Christi sive [or] Satyrion (to distinguish it from Ricinus communis which he calls Palma Christi sive Ricinus. This plant is probably his Female Satyrion and another Dactylorhiza, probably one of the English Marsh orchids, is his Male Satyrion Royal, with purple flowers. In common with Orchis he writes 'The full and plump roots of the Satyrium or Orchis, whereof the Electuary Diasatyrium is made, are of mighty efficacy to provoke to venery, which they that have bulbous roots [meaning the testicle shaped roots of Orchis] do by Signature.'. Terrestrial orchids continue, to be harvested by the millions annually in the Middle East for the production of Salep, including Salep ice cream, because of their mythological aphrodisiacal property. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Dactylorhiza foliosa (Rchb.f.)Soo Orchidaceae Distribution: Madeira. Roots look like a hand and Coles (1657) calls them Palma Christi sive [or] Satyrion (to distinguish it from Ricinus communis which he calls Palma Christi sive Ricinus. This plant would be the closest to his Male Satyrion Royal, with purple flowers (but this is likely to be one of the English Marsh orchids,, and Dactylorhiza fuchsii is his Female Satyrion. In common with Orchis he writes 'The full and plump roots of the Satyrium or Orchis, whereof the Electuary Diasatyrium is made, are of mighty efficacy to provoke to venery, which they that have bulbous roots [meaning the testicle shaped roots of Orchis] do by Signature.'. Terrestrial orchids continue to be harvested by the millions annually in the Middle East for the production of Salep, including Salep ice cream, because of their mythological aphrodisiacal property. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Polygonum bistorta L. Polygonaceae Bistort, snakeweed, Easter Ledges. Distribution: Europe, N & W Asia. Culpeper: “... taken inwardly resist pestilence and poison, helps ruptures, and bruises, stays fluxes, vomiting and immoderate flowing of the terms in women, helps inflammations and soreness of the mouth, and fastens loose teeth, being bruised and boiled in white wine and the mouth washed with it.” In modern herbal medicine it is still used for a similar wide variety of internal conditions, but it can also be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The use to relieve toothache, applied as a paste to the affected tooth, seems to have been widespread. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Prostanthera ovalifolia R.Br. Lamiaceae Alpine anise bush, Oval leaf Mintbush, Purple mintbush. Woody shrub. Distribution: Australia. Minty flavoured leaves used in jams and jellies. Various essential oils are produced from commercially grown P. ovalifolia (cis-dihydroagarofuran, kessane, 1,8-cineole which is also known as eucalyptol, p-cymene,) and P. cuneata also contains eucalyptol. Concentrations of essential oils in the plants vary according to the clonal variety, growing conditions and time of year. Aboriginal peoples used Prostanthera leaves in medicinal ointments and washes, but one species, P. striatiflora, was used to poison waterholes to kill visiting emu (Hegarty, 2001). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench. Lamiaceae. Rock thyme. Small herbaceous perennial. Distribution: C. and S. Europe. This is Mountain wild Basill, Clinopodium alpinum, of Parkinson (1640), the Teucrium Alpinum and Clinopodium Alpinum hirsutum of Bauhin. Then as now, when it has the synonyms Thymus alpinus, Satureja alpina and Calamintha alpina, its nomenclature has been confused. It is unlikely to be the Acinos or Clinopodium of Theophrastus or Disocorides. Dioscorides gives opposing medicinal uses to the plants he knows by these two names, and Parkinson (1640) makes no judgement as to its uses. Reportedly drunk as a tea in Greece, but evidence for it being used historically for fevers is lacking. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Solanum laciniatum Aiton Solanaceae. Kangaroo Apple. Evergreen shrub. Distribution: New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. It contains steroidal saponins that can be converted into steroids, including progesterone, oestrogens, cortisone, prednisolone etc. In 1943, Professor Russell Marker discovered a method of obtaining an unsaturated steroidal saponine, diosogenin, from Mexican yam (Dioscorea mexicana), which can easily and cheaply be converted into steroids, such as prednisone and progesterone, reducing the price of steroid production to a fraction (0.5%) of its former cost. For 20 years drug companies showed little interest, and it was only as a result of Professor Marker forming his own company, and the concerted efforts of several gynaecologists, physiologists and birth-control advocates, that the contraceptive pill was ‘born’ in 1960. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis reformata.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis.
  • Nigella sativa L. Ranunculaceae Love-in-the-mist, Black Cumin, Nutmeg flower, Roman Coriander. Distribution: SW Asia. Culpeper (1650) writes: ‘Nigella seeds, boyled in oil, and the forehead anointed with it, ease pains in the head, take away leprosie, itch, scurf, and helps scald-heads, inwardly taken they expel worms, they provoke urine and the terms, help difficulty of breathing: the smoke of them (being burned) drives away serpents and venomous beasts.’ The seeds are used as a spice, but as might be expected as a member of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercups, the plant contains a highly poisonous glycoside, in this case called melanthin. The amount of toxicity present in spices is clearly insufficient to cause problems when used as such. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Plumbago auriculata Blume Plumbaginaceae Plumbago, Leadwort. Distribution: South Africa. It is used traditionally to treat warts, broken bones and wounds. It is taken as a snuff for headaches and as an emetic to dispel bad dreams. A stick of the plant is placed in the thatch of huts to ward off lightning.” Iwou (1993) reports other Plumbago species are used to cause skin blistering, treat leprosy, induce blistering, and to treat piles, parasites and to induce abortions. The genus name derives from the Latin for lead, but authors differ as to whether it was used as a treatment of lead poisoning, or that when it was used for eye conditions the skin turned the colour of lead. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Nigella sativa L. Ranunculaceae Love-in-the-mist, Black Cumin, Nutmeg flower, Roman Coriander. Distribution: SW Asia. Culpeper (1650) writes: ‘Nigella seeds, boyled in oil, and the forehead anointed with it, ease pains in the head, take away leprosie, itch, scurf, and helps scald-heads, inwardly taken they expel worms, they provoke urine and the terms, help difficulty of breathing: the smoke of them (being burned) drives away serpents and venomous beasts.’ The seeds are used as a spice, but as might be expected as a member of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercups, the plant contains a highly poisonous glycoside, in this case called melanthin. The amount of toxicity present in spices is clearly insufficient to cause problems when used as such. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis Rubiaceae. Cape jasmine - as erroneously believed to have come from South Africa. Distribution: China. Named for Dr Alexander Garden FRS (1730-1791) Scottish-born physician and naturalist who lived in Charles Town, South Carolina, and corresponded with Linnaeus and many of the botanists of his era. The fruits are used in China both as a source of a yellow dye, and for various unsubstantiated medicinal uses. Other species of Gardenia are found in tropical Africa and the roots and leaves have all manner of putative uses. Gardenia tenuifolia is used as an aphrodisiac, for rickets, diarrhoea, leprosy, gall bladder problems, toothache, liver complaints, diabetes, hypertension, malaria and abdominal complaints. It causes violent vomiting and diarrhoea. It, and other species, are used to poison arrows and to poison fish. Some native, muthi medicine, healers regard Gardenia as a ‘last chance’ medicine, given to patients when all else fails – the patient either dies or recovers (Neuwinger, 1996). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.