Traditional medicine is widely used in a variety of recipes plants.Some of them are considered toxic, but does not cease to be therapeutic.One of the most interesting and unusual plants can be called lathraea.
Petrov cross - plant-parasite
This kind of Latin called Lathraera squamaria - lathraea ordinary, or scaly.Sometimes known as the king of grass, earth or potaennitsey grapes.Singularity of it is that it does not have its own green leaves - does not contain chlorophyll, nutrients derived from the roots of other plants, preferably trees.Petrov cross sticks to rhizome trees and gets all the necessities of life from them - of course, it is harmful to trees.This allows the ability to live this plant is rarely appear on the surface of the earth - only for the purpose of reproduction, only a few weeks in the spring.All the rest of the time lathraea conducts underground, sometimes without showing even a few years.
external structure and appearance
Petrov cross - plant remarkable, when we first met a strange impression.You can not even immediately realize that it flowers - the lack of greenery making it look unusual.Petrov cross pink flowers can be almost burgundy.They are in close contact with each other, brought forth a thick white stalk.The plant blooms for long, to see him very few people can.The main part - the rhizome, it goes deep into the soil.The plant lathraea root often develops at a right angle, this explains its name.During reproduction in place of flowers formed a small box, which ripen seeds.They look like poppies.After maturing boxes open, and the seeds poured into the ground - in this foreign plant life ends, the stems die back and the plant goes into the soil.
particular interest biologists cause scales on the leaves of this culture - they are a bit reminiscent of the structure of predatory carnivorous species, and for a while it was thought that lathraea applies to them.Later it was found that the plant does not feed on insects, although they occasionally get stuck in these scales.The main purpose of this structure - the evaporation of water.
Where grows
lathraea grows in forests, prefers to parasitize on bird cherry, hazel, alder.In spring, these trees sap flow begins, it provides an excellent opportunity parasite vegetation.Lathraea grows slowly and imperceptibly, the first 10 years, it is not visible above the ground at all - built up the rhizome.The plant is common in Europe, in the Caucasus.On the territory of Russia is found only one species - the scaly or ordinary lathraea.Sometimes it is found in Pakistan, India, Western Europe, Asia.
Types
botanists identify several species of this plant - lathraea hidden, Latin name Lathraea clandestina, magenta (Lathraea purpurea), Japanese (Lathraea japonica), the Balkans (Lathraea rhodopea) and scaly, or ordinary (Lathraea squamaria).All these types of slightly different appearance and habitat.
use in medicine
lathraea - a poisonous plant that causes severe poisoning.That is why it needs to be very carefully used for medical purposes - only after the recommendation of a doctor or an experienced herbalist.In folk medicine uses the whole plant body entirely - and the roots, and flowers.Petrov cross - grass, which contains a lot of alkylating agents.They are needed for the plant parasitic way of life - such substances destroy the cell, divide it into separate pieces and build on its basis their cells.In this preserved their livelihoods.This property is widely used in the treatment of various tumors, cancer - plant substances destroy cancer cells, because the connection between the amino acids in such cells is weaker than normal.In addition to the fight against tumors lathraea apply in diseases of the kidneys and liver, is widely used in gynecology - for the normalization of ovulation, to raise the muscle tone of the uterus, or in order to stimulate egg for the purpose of fertilization.Sometimes used in swelling and edema.
Recipes application Petrov cross
widespread popular recipes decoctions or infusions based on this plant.To prepare the broth crushed roots pour boiling water or boiled for approximately 20 minutes (better to leave with the cover closed), and then filtered.Receipt of funds by taking half a cup to two times a day - in the course of one month.To prepare the tincture of the roots of sleep a third of the banks, pour 60% alcohol to the top.The infusion tied for 3 weeks in a cool dark place, at times shaken.When tincture is ready, it takes it drop by drop - from 20 to 30, in divorce in 50 milliliters of water, half an hour before meals 2 times a day.In addition, plants may be ground rhizome grinder or blender, and the resulting mass is mixed with honey in a ratio of one to one.Eat 3 times a day.
