Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
The species Chenopodium bonus-Henricus, classified by Linnaeus in 1753, belongs to the family of the Amaranthaceae
The name “bonus-henricus”,is in honour to Henry IV from France who was called “Good king Henry”.
This plant is popularly known as allgood, fat-hen and Good King Henry.
The good Henry is a sturdy, green, perennial plant more or less branched that can reach 80 cm in height
With regard to its distribution this plant is widely spread throughout Europe, but it can be also found in North America and Siberia from 500 up to 2100m oh height
It presents large, alternate, green, clear leaves; the ones located at the base have a triangular shape with a long petiole, a wavy margin and look similar to the spinach
while those found at the top are decreasing size of the petiole until its demise (sessile) and have a lanceolate shape
In reference to the hairiness of the plant is located at the top of the stem and the leaves that have small white blood cells resulting in only touch them
Good Henry’s flowers are small and meet in inflorescences spike’s type, which appear at the end of the stem and are elongated with bracts
These are very small, greenish, pinkish flowers
If they are in the extreme terminal they are hermaphrodites and have a perianth consisting of 5 tepals and an androecium that contains 5 stamens. If they are located on a stem side they are female or hermaphrodite that have a perianth formed by 3-5 tepals and an androecium with 2-3 stigmas
Its flowering period is from June to September
The fruit of the good Henry is a membranous pericarp and seeds are oval and dark
The healing properties of this herb are soothing, laxative and vermifuge. A poultice made from the leaves was used to cleanse and heal chronic wounds, burns and abscesses
Good Henry’s was widely cultivated in England until the eighteenth century due to the fact that was used in the kitchen valuable for its nutritional value