Flora / Lithuania

Flora of Lithuania

Lithuania lies in the area of temperate forest zone, which has its characteristic flora and fauna. Most of forest is coniferous, spruce and birch, with alder, ash, aspen and oak found in smaller numbers - forest land makes up almost one third of the country’s area.

Facts and numbers:

The total number of plant species recorded in Lithuania is near 2,000, of which 16 species are already extinct;

The total number of Lithuania’s invertebrate species is estimated at over 200,000. Among them 150,000 are insects, about 1,200 – arachnids and about 170 – molluscs;

The total number of animal and plant species included into the Red Data Book of Lithuania (Lietuvos Raudonąją knygą) is 768

Oregano named Origanum vulgare by Carolus Linnaeus, is a common species of Origanum, a genus of the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to warm temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean  region.

Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall, with oposite leaves 1–4cm long. It is sometimes called wild marjoram, and its close relative O. majorana is known as sweet marjoram.

 

Uses:

Culinary: Oregano is an important culinary herb, used for the flavour of its leaves, which can be more flavourful when dried than fresh. It has an aromatic, warm and slightly bitter taste, which can vary in intensity. Good quality oregano may be strong enough almost to numb the tongue, but the cultivars adapted to colder climates often have a lesser flavor. Factors such as climate, seasons and soil composition may affect the aromatic oils present, and this effect may be greater than the differences between the various species of plants. Among the chemical compounds contributing to the flavour are carvacrol, thymol, limonene, pinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene. 

Medicinal: Hippocrates used oregano as an antiseptic, as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments. A Lithuania oregano is still used today in Lithuania as a palliative for sore throat.

Oregano is high in antioxidant activity, due to a high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids. In test-tube studies, it also has shown antimicrobial activity against strains of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.

In the traditional  Lithuania medicine Origanum vulgare herb has been used internally (as tea) or externally (as ointment) for treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and nervous system.

 

 

 

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis, Valerianaceae) is a perennial flowering plant, with heads of sweetly scented pink or white flowers that bloom in the summer months. Valerian flower extracts were used as a perfume in the sixteenth century.

Valerian, in pharmacology and herbal medicine, is the name of a herb or dietary supplement prepared from roots of the plant. Crude extract of the root is often sold in the form of capsules. Valerian root has sedative and anxiolytic effects.

Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb

The name of the herb is derived from the personal name Valeria and the Latin verb valere (to be strong, healthy).

Because of valerian's historical use as a sedative, anticonvulsant, migraine treatment and pain reliever, most basic science research has been directed at the interaction of valerian constituents with the GABA neurotransmitter receptor system

 

 

 

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is a perennial herbaceous plant that spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Tussilago is often found in colonies of dozens of plants. The flowers, which superficially resemble dandelions, appear in early spring before dandelions appear. The leaves, which resemble a colt's foot in cross section, do not appear usually until after the seeds are set. Thus, the flowers appear on stems with no apparent leaves, and the later appearing leaves then wither and die during the season without seeming to set flowers. The plant is typically 10–30 cm in height.

Traditional uses

Coltsfoot has been used in herbal medicine and has been consumed as a food product with some confectionery products, such as Coltsfoot Rock. Tussilago farfara leaves have been used in the traditional Lithuania  medicine internally (as tea or syrup) or externally (directly applied) for treatment of disorders of the respiratory tract, skin, locomotor system, viral infections, flu, colds, fever, rheumatism and gout. Coltsfoot-inflammatory, so it can be used in the treatment of bronchitis, laryngeal and tracheal inflammation, asthma and pleurisy, even in the initial phase of tuberculosis treatment. Coltsfoot is a mitigating measure expectorant. In order to reduce coughing and hoarseness to be several times a day to drink very hot tea with honey, coltsfoot. The leaves and flowers of the steam used to treat chronic bronchitis

Food source

Coltsfoot is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the gothic and small angle shades. The coltsfoot is also worked by the honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).