Pentaneuro

In cases of minor accidents this is one of the most useful plants that you can find very easily in the nature of Corfu. According to Dioscorides, the herb Plantago major, pentaneurus the large or lamb ‘s tongue , cured skin diseases. In the first millennium the plant was known to Arab, Persian, Greek and Roman doctors. Aquivennes (980-1-37) in his book “rules of medical science” recommended taking pentaneurus leaves as an anti-hemorrhagic agent in swellings, in chronic malignant ulcers, inflammation of the eyes, diseases of the kidneys, liver, lungs and rheumatism .
It used to be put inside boots before going on long journeys on foot to harden the skin of the feet.
It is a perennial poa, without a stem and its height reaches 40 cm. It has large broad dark green leaves with five veins which are very easy to distinguish if we break the stalk of its leaves. The lanceolate differs from the large pentaneurus in the leaves which are narrower and lanceolate, while its spikelets are shorter. It has the same medicinal properties as pentaneuro the great. Its leaves are edible but a bit hard, so we mainly collect the young, tender, fresh leaves and remove the stems. Their taste is bitter like spinach. The leaves when dried make a good tea.
Its flowers are yellow-green, dense, arranged in long spikes, they bloom from April to October.
Melted leaves applied externally are healing for wounds and abrasions, while rubbing the leaves on stings or insect bites stops itching.
Its fresh leaves are used in salads.
It contains glycosides with the main component aucubin which stimulates the elimination of uric acid from the kidneys, also vitamin C, K, P, ascorbic acid, potassium, iron, and carotene.
The dry or fresh leaves in the form of infusion or decoction have diuretic, expectorant, tonic, bactericidal and anti-catarrhal properties.
It is ideal for coughs and mild bronchitis.