Łódź, Botanical Garden

It is native to the sub-arctic and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Edible plant - leaves raw or cooked; a tea is made from the flowering stems. Herbal plant - the whole plant is diaphoretic and diuretic; a decoction has been used as a contraceptive; a number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries; asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Usable plant - a red dye is obtained from the root; the plant is used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc.