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| Healers throughout the world have been seeking the language of their plant cousins for centuries. Sometimes our animal brothers and sisters teach us their secrets, as in the case of the herb Eyebright. The story goes that an hebalist had a young bird family nesting in her tree. The spring was a difficult one with excessive rain for the season, and sickness took its toll on the young birds. The herbalist noticed that the fledglings had crusted eyes. She shook her head; the birds' singing had given her such joy every morning, "what a shame," she thought "that they won't survive." But the next morning, the herbalist noticed that the mother bird had brought a plant back to her nest instead of the normal grub. "Was she rebuilding her nest?" wondered the woman. She observed the mother bird holding the plant sprig in her beak and wiping the eyes of her fledglings every day until the chicks eyes had cleared. After some investigation, the herbalist discovered the herb in use was (Euphrasia rostkoviana), Eyebright. Eyebright produces tiny white flowers with yellow spots and red veins that reminds me as nothing so much as a blood shot eye. This plant is still used as an eye tonic for strains and infections. People suffering from allergies use it to relieve irritated eyes due to hay fever and sinus infections. |
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