Common stork, or crail

Pharmacy name: stork grass (flowering) – Erodii cicutarii heiba (formerly: Herba Erodii cicutarii).

Botanical description. A short weed with often reddening, forked stems, light green palmately dissected leaves, and purple-red flowers. Comes from the Mediterranean; has been introduced into the natural flora of Central Europe for a very long time. Grows in dry meadows, sandy arable land, along roadsides.

Active ingredients: tannins, flavones, essential oil, caffeine, a substance acting on the uterine muscles, saponins. It is sometimes used to purify the blood.