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yerba mansa
Scientific Name: Anemopsis
Family: Saururaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Anemopsis californica: Yerba Mansa or Lizard Tail
Anemopsis californica, commonly known as yerba mansa or lizard tail, is a fascinating perennial herb found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant has a pungent rootstock.
Considerations for Children
- The plant has a pungent rootstock.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Anemopsis californica
- Common Names: Yerba mansa, lizard tail, swamp root (less common)
- Family: Saururaceae (Lizard Tail Family)
- Genus: Anemopsis (monotypic - containing only one species)
- Synonym: Houttuynia californica
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to the Southwestern US and northern Mexico.
- Specifically found in New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
- Grows in wet, boggy, alkaline wetlands, which are considered endangered habitats.
- Not drought-tolerant.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Creeping herbaceous perennial.
- Grows 6 to 20 inches tall.
- Spreading groundcover that forms mats.
- Large, waxy, gray-green leaves that lay flat.
- Stoloniferous herb with a pungent rootstock.
- Small spicate flowers with white bracts.
Traditional and Medicinal Uses
- Historically used by native populations for medicinal purposes.
- The Kamia of Imperial Valley pulverized the seeds and cooked them as mush or baked them as bread.
- Used as a tincture, tea (dried or ground form), or in capsule form.
- Fresh leaves can also be used.
- The plant is described as having a spicy, warming, aromatic nature.
- Primarily employed as a mucous membrane tonic.
Quirky Facts
- The name "yerba mansa" translates from Spanish as "calming herb" or "mild herb." "Yerba" is Spanish for herb, and "mansa" is the feminine form of "manso," meaning mild or tame.
- Some local residents describe the plant as "magical" and its qualities as "almost mythical."
- It has been used by natives in southern California for infected knife wounds.
- The herb appears in Rudolfo Anaya's novel "Bless Me, Ultima" as one of the herbs kept in a wise woman's healing medicine bag.
Further Information
- WebMD offers patient medical information on Yerba Mansa.
- CalPhotos offers images of Anemopsis californica.
- The Yerba Mansa Project in Albuquerque is a community service endeavor focused on restoration, education, and community.