Gentiana catesbaei
Encyclopedia
Gentiana catesbaei, commonly called Elliot's Gentian, American Gentian, or Bottle Gentian is a wildflower native the eastern North America
. It grows in the swampy areas from Virginia to Florida and has showy, pale blue flowers which appear in the late fall from September to December.
were known to use the Elliott's Gentian for medicinal purposes. They would steep the roots in hot water and then use the produced liquid to sooth sore backs. This is not surprising as the European gentian, G. lutea
, has been used as a digestive tonic and was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia
from 1820 to 1995 as a gastric stimulant. In fact, the very name of the genus is derived from Gentius
, a king of Illyria
who recognized the tonic properties of the plant.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It grows in the swampy areas from Virginia to Florida and has showy, pale blue flowers which appear in the late fall from September to December.
Uses
The Catawba American IndiansCatawba (tribe)
The Catawba are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border between North and South Carolina near the city of Rock Hill...
were known to use the Elliott's Gentian for medicinal purposes. They would steep the roots in hot water and then use the produced liquid to sooth sore backs. This is not surprising as the European gentian, G. lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
, has been used as a digestive tonic and was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia
United States Pharmacopeia
The United States Pharmacopeia is the official pharmacopeia of the United States, published dually with the National Formulary as the USP-NF. The United States Pharmacopeial Convention is the nonprofit organization that owns the trademark and copyright to the USP-NF and publishes it every year...
from 1820 to 1995 as a gastric stimulant. In fact, the very name of the genus is derived from Gentius
Gentius
Gentius was the last Illyrian king of the Ardiaean State. The name appears to derive from PIE *g'en- "to beget", cognate to Latin gens, gentis "kin, clan, race". He was the son of Pleuratus III, a king who kept relations with Rome very strong...
, a king of Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
who recognized the tonic properties of the plant.