Name: Voronyache oko zvichayne – common raven eye
Common crow’s eye (Paris quadrifolia); Lily family (Liliaceae); ordinary crow’s eye
Beware POISON
Often in Christmas trees you can see the original plant: a tall stem, four large leaves, and at the top – surrounded by perianth – a gray-black berry. This crow’s eye is common. Its leaves are elliptical, pointed, with three veins, up to 14 cm long and up to 8 cm wide. The flower is single, greenish-white, blooms in May-June, the fruit is a berry, ripens in July-August. Crow’s eye usually grows in coniferous forests, among shrubs, often occurs in fir trees together with soursop. A characteristic plant of the forest zone, it reaches 62° north latitude in Western Siberia and 65° north latitude in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In Ukraine, it grows in mixed and deciduous forests of the forest-steppe zone, in Polissia, in the Carpathians.
All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the rhizome and berries, which contain glycosides dangerous to human health.
In traditional medicine, a tincture of the crow’s eye herb is sometimes used to treat migraines, neuralgia, and metabolic disorders.
It should be remembered that the plant is very poisonous, so any use of products from it must be agreed with a doctor – phytotherapist.