2017
TG1903 : Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
taken 7 years ago, near to Swardeston, Norfolk, England
Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
The root of this plant can reach a weight of up to half a kilo (ca 1 lb) and contains a lot of tannic acids, making it important for a number of uses in days gone by, such as for tanning leather and dying cloth. The blood-red liquid trickling from a cut in the rootstock has given tormentil a reputation as a medicinal plant and the genus’s scientific name 'Potentilla' is indeed derived from the Latin word 'potens', meaning potent and referring to the frequent use of its members for medicinal purposes. Tormentil was also believed to increase the amount of milk (and consequently butter) that cows could yield. Originally limited to swamps and bogs it has long since found many new habitats connected with agriculture.
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