''Collinsonia canadensis'', commonly called richweed or stoneroot, is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

in the

mint family The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, ...

. It is native to eastern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, primarily east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, where it is widespread. It is the most broadly distributed member of the genus ''Collinsonia'', ranging north to Quebec and south to Florida. Its natural habitat is nutrient-rich mesic forests, most often in rocky, calcareous areas.IllinoisWildflowers
/ref> ''Collinsonia canadensis'' can grow up to tall and has terminal clusters of tiny, tubular yellow flowers. Leaves are green, large, sharply toothed, and ovate. It produces lemon-scented flowers in mid-summer, a time when little else is in bloom in densely shaded forests.

Traditional herbal use

''Collinsonia canadensis'' was used by Native Americans to treat a variety of ailments. However, European-American settlers in North America did not often use this species after they initially discovered it, due to it lacking any conspicuous toxic qualities. It was not until the mid-1800s when it regained popularity as a medicinal herb. The leaves can be brewed into tea, and the subterranean stem was once used as a diuretic, tonic, and astringent.

Gallery

Image:Collinsonia canadensis SCA-04298.jpg, Detail of ''Collinsonia canadensis'' flowers.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5147449 Lamiaceae Flora of North America Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus