Hamamelis virginiana
Virginian witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
The Virginian witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), also Autumn Flowering Witch Hazel or Virginian witch hazel (English common name: Witch Hazel ) called, is a flowering plant in the family of the witch hazel family ( Hamamelidaceae ). It is resident as part of the shrub and undergrowth flora in mixed deciduous forests in eastern North America.
- 3.1 Use as an ornamental plant
- 3.2 Medical use
- 5.1 Literature
- 5.2 Notes and references
Description
Vegetative characteristics
The Virginian witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana ) is a tree-like shrub, in their home country as a small tree with a short trunk. The deciduous, deciduous shrub usually reaches a height of from three to six meters, rarely to 10 meters. The bark of young branches is hairy gray or brownish- red. The bark is later light brown, smooth or slightly scaly.
The alternate, hazel -like leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is usually six to 15 ( to 20 ) mm long. The simple leaf blade with a length from 3.7 to 16.7 inches and a width from 2.5 to 13 inches wide, elliptical to nearly circular or obovate.
Generative features
The pungent, eye-catching bright yellow, coral -shaped flowers with long, narrow petals appear in late autumn and early winter, after the discolored foliage has dropped. The not until the next summer ripening, egg-shaped, woody, hairy, 10-14 mm long capsule fruits jump on when ripe and fling the only two black, five to nine millimeter seeds away up to 15 meters.
Occurrence
The Virginian witch hazel grows in eastern North America from Mexico to Canada. It prefers moderately nutrient -rich, moist, lime-free soils without waterlogging rather in full sun or partial shade.
Use
Use as an ornamental plant
After Europe, the American Witchhazel came only in the 18th century and though as ornamental tree. The hardy plant is occasionally cultivated in temperate regions in parks and gardens. It is one of the few flowering in winter species.
Medical use
Witch hazel extract, obtained by boiling the twigs and branches, was used by the Indians of North America varied, particularly for the treatment of bleeding, cuts and lacerations, contusions, and superficial inflammation and inflammation in the eye area.
The taste of the bark and leaves is initially bitter, astringent, then sharply and finally sweet. It remains a long-lasting aftertaste in the mouth.
Hamamelis virginica is a homeopathic remedy (short form: Ham), which is prepared from the fresh bark of roots and branches. It was tested in 1850 by Constantine Hering and used as a means especially for the treatment of soft tissue injury with painful venous blood fullness, bleeding, inflammation of the veins or hemorrhoids.
From the Virginian witch hazel following farmed medicinal drugs are obtained, with the following important ingredients and use:
After reviewing the Commission E, an application of the pharmacopoeia drug for mild skin injuries, local inflammation of skin and mucous membranes, hemorrhoids and varicose veins is displayed. Their ingredients have a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, astringent and itch -relieving.
Systematic and trivial names
The first publication of Hamamelis virginiana was made in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, p 124 The choice of botanical Artepithetons virginiana Carl Linnaeus referred to the origin of eastern North America, then beyond the limits of today's state as Virginia referred to. Synonyms for Hamamelis virginiana L. are: Hamamelis androgyna Walter, Hamamelis corylifolia Moench, Hamamelis dioica Walter, Hamamelis macrophylla Pursh, Hamamelis virginiana fo. parvifolia ( Nutt. ) Fernald, Hamamelis virginiana fo. rubescens Rehder, Hamamelis virginiana var angustifolia Nieuwl. , Hamamelis virginiana var orbiculata Nieuwl. , Hamamelis virginiana var macrophylla ( Pursh ) Nutt., Hamamelis virginiana var parvifolia Nutt., Trilopus dentata Raf., Trilopus estivalis Raf., Trilopus nigra Raf., Trilopus nigra var catesbiana Raf., Trilopus parvifolia ( Nutt. ) Raf., Trilopus rotundifolia Raf., Trilopus virginica (L.) Raf ..
Other common names are: American witch hazel, autumn flowering witch hazel, witch hazel, Hamamelis Virginia.
Trivial name for witch hazel: divining leaves, magic hazel leaves, witch hazel leaves.