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Dandelion – Officially called Taraxacum Officinale, it is known by most people as a common weed; but to herbalists, for its many culinary & medicinal uses. A tea of the roots was drunk for heartburn by the Pillager Ojibwas, & the Mohegan tribe drank a tea of the leaves as a general health tonic.
Devil’s Claw – Formally called Harpagophytum Procumbens, this plant, native to southern Africa, is also called Grapple Plant, Harpagon, Wood Spider, & Devil’s Club. Used for thousands of years by indigenous people of that country, it was used to treat fever, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions, & conditions involving the gallbladder, pancreas, stomach & kidneys; as well as a numbing agent. Later it brought to Europe & utilized primarily to improve digestion & treat arthritis. After it was brought to the Americas, the Indians of British Columbia utilized a tea of the root bark to offset the effects of diabetes.
Dogbane – See Indian Hemp
Dogwood – Scientifically known as Cornus Florida, this flowering tree native to the U.S. can be found from Maine to Florida & west to Minnesota, Kansas, & Texas. Having several other common names including American Dogwood, Boxwood, Budwood, Cornelian Tree, Flowering Dogwood, Green Ozier, & others, its inner bark, berries, & twigs have long been used in Native American remedies. Primarily it was used internally to treat malaria, fever, pneumonia, colds, & diarrhea; as well as improving digestion & appetite. Externally, poultices were used to heal ulcers & sores. In the early 19C, a report was made that Native Americans in Virginia were remarkable for their white teeth. They utilized twigs as chewing sticks, which acted as a toothpick & chewing brush. The Iroquois were known to use the twigs in a tonic for gonorrhea & the the Cherokee chewed the bark for headache & used a decoction of bark to treat childhood afflictions such as worms, measles, & diarrhea. They also made poultices, which were used for wounds, & other skin disorders. The Menominee used the bark in enemas, & the Arikara mixed it the bearberry to make a sacred tobacco.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions.
Delphinium nudicaule, the root of which was used as a narcotic by the Mendocino.
Devil's club, traditionally used by Native Americans to treat adult-onset diabetes & a variety of tumors. In vitro studies showed that extracts of devil's club inhibit tuberculosis microbes. The plant is used medicinally & ceremonially by the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska, who refer to it as "Tlingit aspirin." A piece of devil's club hung over a doorway is said to ward off evil. The plant is harvested & used in a variety of ways, including lip balms, ointments, & herbal teas. Some Tlingit disapprove of the commercialization of the plant as they see it as a violation of its sacred status.
