''Vaccaria'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...

containing the single species ''Vaccaria hispanica''. It is known by several common names including cowherb, cowcockle, cow basil, cow soapwort, and prairie carnation. Its subspecies were previously treated as separate species. It is an annual herb with blue-gray, waxy herbage and pale pink flowers. It is native to Eurasia but can be found in many other regions as an

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

and a common

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

. The

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s of ''Vaccaria'' are used in

Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...

. This medicinal is known as wáng bù liú xíng (王不留行, so beneficial at promoting circulation, even the "king cannot stay its movement"). It is used to regulate specific types of menstrual concerns, ameliorate certain types of arthritis, promote lactation, promote blood circulation, and relieve some types of swellings. ''Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica'', 3rd edition. Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich Stöger, et al. 2004. Eastland Press.

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile
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Washington Burke MuseumFlora of Western AustraliaCal Photos - Vaccaria hispanicaSacred Lotus - Wang Bu Liu Xing
Caryophyllaceae Monotypic Caryophyllaceae genera Saponaceous plants {{Caryophyllaceae-stub