Adonis aestivalis, the summer pheasant's-eye, is a medicinal and ornamental plant. It is native to Europe and Asia but has been introduced elsewhere, such as the western and eastern parts of the United States, as an ornamental plant. In particular, it has been known to invade alfalfa fields, contaminating feed used for horse hay. It is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae.
It is an annual herb that grows up to 1 m tall. The stems are erect with simple, pinnately-dissected, alternate leaves and a small, terminal flower. The flowers are perfect. The radially symmetrical flowers are an orange to red colour, and each petal has a black splotch at its base. Its petals curl to form a cup-like shape. The fruit is an achene. A single flower can produce 50 to 100 seeds.
A. aestivalis has been used in European folk medicine to treat weak hearts by stimulating cardiac activity. The plant is dried out and combined with some water to form a tonic. It can be toxic at large doses, causing paralysis of the heart muscles. It is also used to treat coughs and spasms and as a diuretic and sleeping aid. It has also been used in Iran to treat rheumatism and heart disease.
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Thank you for this pleasant garden party 😺
ReplyDeleteMussaenda erythrophylla
DeleteThey are beautiful red flowers!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Gorgeous flower. I've never seen that one before. Thanks for the party.
ReplyDeleteA pretty plant... and interesting read about their use in medicine.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing and for hosting.
Have a wonderful week.
Such a beautiful and useful flower! Thank you for sharing and hosting!
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