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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals. One final note: many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.




BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL
Leguminosae
aka Bloomfell, Cat's Clover, Crowtoes, Ground Honeysuckle
[bai mai gen]
(Lotus corniculatus)
imageImage

A perennial native to Europe and Asia to 2 feet high with 3 obovate to oblanceolate leaflets and yellow (sometimes tinged red) petals; stems often decumbent.

RELATED SPECIES:
BROADLEAF BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL (Lotus arvensis): Leaflets cuneate-obovate.
NARROWLEAF BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL (Lotus tenuifolium): Stems weak, prostrate and leaflets linear-oblanceolate.

USES

MEDICINAL:
Roots have been used as carminative, febrifuge, refrigerant, restorative, tonic.
Above ground portion have been applied to sores and wounds.

OTHER:
Birdsfoot trefoil is used mainly as hay or silage. Milk from cows fed on trefoil hay contains more vitamins A and E than those fed on alfalfa (Handbook of Legumes of World Economic Importance, Plenum Press, NY, James A. Duke, 1981).





©2003 by Ernestina Parziale, CH

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