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Vicia caroliniana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carolina vetch

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Fabeae
Genus: Vicia
Species:
V. caroliniana
Binomial name
Vicia caroliniana

Vicia caroliniana (common name Carolina vetch, or Carolina wood vetch), is a plant found in North America.[2]

Uses

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The Cherokee use this plant for a variety of medicinal purposes. It is used for back pains, local pains, to toughen muscles, for muscular cramps, twitching and is rubbed on stomach cramps. They also use a compound for rheumatism, for an affliction called "blacks", and it is taken for wind before a ball game.[3] An infusion is used for muscle pain, in that it is rubbed on scratches made over the location of the pain. An infusion is also taken as an emetic.[4] It is also used internally with Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium ssp. obtusifolium for rheumatism.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
  2. ^ "Plants Profile for Vicia caroliniana (Carolina vetch)". plants.usda.gov.
  3. ^ Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. (p. 60)
  4. ^ Taylor, Linda Averill 1940 Plants Used As Curatives by Certain Southeastern Tribes. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Botanical Museum of Harvard University (p. 34)
  5. ^ Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. (p. 51, 52)