Pearlwort, Smooth

The fruits of gromwell are smooth and shiny, making them appear to gleam like pearls in the leaf axils. This perennial plant grows 30-100 cm tall and blooms from May to July with white to greenish-yellow flowers. It is native to almost all of Europe, but quite rare in the Netherlands and Belgium, found in the dunes, along the Meuse river, and in the Ardennes. A violet dye is extracted from its roots. Additionally, the herb has medicinal effects. The entire plant is dried to make a (tasty!) tea used to treat, among other things, kidney and and liver ailments, measles, and jaundice. Anyone still wishing to have offspring should avoid the herb, as Shoshoni Indians used the closely related species L. ruderale as a contraceptive, which causes permanent infertility with prolonged use. (Text almost literally from: Herbal Encyclopedia, by Nico Vermeulen)

Names:
Latin: Lithospermum officinalis
Dutch: Parelzaad, Glad
Also known as: Lubkruid
English: Gromwell