Lily of the Valley L liliaceae

N.O. Liliaceae

Names:

Known as Lilium convallium in the 16th century., Our Ladys' Tears, Convall-lily, Lily Constancy,May Lily, Convallaria,Ladder-to Heaven, Male Lily, Convallaria magalis (LINN),

Lily of the Valleys' specific name, Majalis, or Maialis connotes "that which belongs to May".Historic astrology has the plant under the dominion of the planet Mercury, since Maia, the daughter of Atlas,was mother of Mercury or Hermes in Greek mythology

Wild Lilyof the Valley is called Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum Canadense)

Contra- Indications:

POISON:

TO BE ADMINISTERED BY PHYSICIANS ONLY

Properties:

Used to regulate heart action similarly to and considered safer than the foxglove.

Considered an important drug in some national pharmacopeias, it is seldom used as such outside Eastern European countries.

Constituents:

Cardio-active glycosides (Cardenolides) simialr to foxglove glycoside.

References:

P 179, The Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Herbalism, edited by Malcolm Stuart, Orbis Publishing, London

P 480, A Modern Herbal, Mrs M. Grieve Tiger Books International, London

P 66, Referencing Wild Lily of the Valley Flower,A Field Guide to Wildflowers Northeastern, Northcentral North America Peterson, Mc Kenny,Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Publisher