Herbal Encyclopedia

Common Medicinal Herbs For Natural Health

  • Herbs
  • Modes of Use
    • Compresses and Lotions
    • Creams
    • Decoctions
    • Electuaries
    • Essential Oils
    • Fomentations
    • Gargles and Mouthwashes
    • Glycerites
    • Liniments
    • Medicinal Milks
    • Mustard Plasters
    • Oil Infusions
    • Ointments and Salves
    • Poison Ivy Lotions
    • Poultices
    • Powders and Capsules
    • Vapor Balms
    • Steam Inhalations
    • Syrups
    • Tinctures and Vinegars
    • Toothpastes
    • Water Infusions
    • When To Gather Herbs
  • Scientific Names

Lungmoss

Botanical Name

  • Family Stictaceae
  • Lobaria pulmonaria

Common Names

  • Tree Lungwort, Oak Lungs, False Iceland Moss

Cautions

  • This lichen should not be confused with the common Lungwort which is a plant and not a lichen.

Description

 Lungmoss is a gray or light green lichen found growing in damp climates on trees and rocks in woodland areas. It is usually found in close proximity to two trees, the Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and the Beech (Fagus sylvatica). It has forked, irregular lobes measuring less than an inch in length. It can be gathered throughout the year. However, dry lichen should not be gathered as it is found mostly on dead plants and is no longer useful as a medicine.

History

 As its names suggest, it has long been used in pulmonary disorders, including tuberculosis. However, it was also used to treat wounds, heal ulcers, reduce menstrual bleeding, relieve dysentery, and halt "choleric vomiting".

Pierandrea Mattioli (1501-1577), an Italian physician and herbalist, recommended it for healing pulmonary ulcers and for treating blood-flecked phlegm.

Key Actions

  • anti-inflammatory
  • antimicrobial
  • astringent
  • demulcent
  • diaphoretic
  • expectorant
  • tonic

Key Components

  • plant acids (including stictic and sticinic acids)
  • fatty acids
  • mucilage
  • tannins

Medicinal Parts

  • Lichen or whole plant

Traditional Uses

 Because of its relaxing effect on the respiratory tract, the drug is used mainly for all chronic respiratory illnesses, including bronchitis, asthma, smoker's cough, and other irritable coughs. In a decoction sweetened with honey, lungmoss is appropriate for all conditions marked by chronic respiratory mucus, especially coughs and bronchitis. The plant also treats pleurisy, and emphysema.

A beneficial, but under-used and under-appreciated plant, lungmoss is rich in bitters and seems to have two primary effects. First, it promotes the production and secretion of digestive enzymes throughout the entire digestive tract and helps to increase the appetite. Secondly, it increases the efficiency with the digestive process by encouraging the breakdown of proteins into peptides in the stomach.

Being astingent and a demulcent, lungmoss makes a useful remedy for pulmonary ulcers and for gastrointestinal problems, and is a highly suitable herb for treating children.

Filed Under: L

Herbal Apothecary

Click here for Natural Herbal Healing.

Cloverleaf Farm natural, herbal healing

Click here for Natural Herbal Healing.

Pages

  • Modes of Use
    • Compresses and Lotions
    • Creams
    • Decoctions
    • Electuaries
    • Essential Oils
    • Fomentations
    • Gargles and Mouthwashes
    • Glycerites
    • Liniments
    • Lip Balms
    • Medicinal Milks
    • Mustard Plasters
    • Oil Infusions
    • Ointments and Salves
    • Poison Ivy Lotions
    • Poultices
    • Powders and Capsules
    • Steam Inhalations
    • Syrups
    • Tinctures and Vinegars
    • Toothpastes
    • Vapor Balms
    • Water Infusions
    • When To Gather Herbs
  • Online Herbal Encyclopedia of Knowledge
  • Scientific Names

Cloverleaf Farm

  • Cloverleaf Farm Store
  • Our Farm Blog
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

For educational purposes only.
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Return To Top Of Page

Copyright © 2019 Cloverleaf Farm