Medicinal Herbs by Botanical Families
It can be very helpful to divide herbs according to their actions and it can also be very helpful to see them divided up according to botanical families. In this way one can see the relationships between plants. One starts to see members of the same families as a type of evolutionary cousin, often (but not always) sharing similar constituents, properties and actions. Some herb families really stand out as containing a lot of mental health herbs. The Araliaceae (Ginseng family), the Carrot family (Apiaceae), the Aster family (Asteraceae), the Pea family (Fabaceae) and the Mint family (Lamiaceae) get special mention. For all the botany herbalist nerds out there.
Acoraceae: Calamus
Annonaceae: Yohimbe, ylang ylang
Apocynaceae: Akuamma, iboga
Araceae: Skunk cabbage
Araliaceae: Ginseng, Aralia, American Ginseng, Eleutherococcus, devils club
Apiaceae: fennel, bupleurum, caraway, cnidum, parsley, anise, dong quai, angelica, cumin, Gotu kola
Asparagaceae: Ophiopogon (Wild asparagus root), shatavari, solomons seal
Asteraceae: Atractylodes, bhingaraj, dandelion, feverfew, mugwort, tarragon, yarrow, chamomile, burdock, chrysanthemum, dong quai, yarrow, dream herb, helichrysum, wild lettuce
Aquifoliaceae: Guayusa, mate, holly tree
Azioaceae: Kanna
Berberidaceae: Oregon Grape, Blue cohosh
Boraginaceae: Borage, comfrey
Brassicaceae: Maca
Burseraceae: Frankincense, myrrh, palo santo
Campanulaceae: Codonopsis
Cannibinaceae: Cannabis, Hops
Caprifoliaceae: Crampbark, elder, honeysuckle,
Cactaceae: Peyote, san pedro
Celastraceae: Chuchuhuasi, khat
Convolvulaceae: Shankhpushpi
Cordycipitaceae: Cordyceps
Crassulaceae: Rhodiola
Cucurbitaceae: Jiaogulan, tayuya
Cupressaceae: Western Red Cedar
Cynomoriaceae: Suo Yang
Ephedraceae: Ephedra
Erythroxylaceae: Coca
Euphorbiaceae: Amla, iporuru
Fabaceae: Licorice, albizzia, astragalus, alfalfa, jamaican dogwood, red clover, mucuna, mulungu
Ganodermataceae: Reishi, Artist’s conk
Gentianaceae: Gentian
Geraniaceae: Geranium
Gingkoaceae: Gingko
Hericaceae: Lion’s Mane, Bear’s Head
Hymenogastraceae: Psilocybe cubensis, others
Hypericaceae: St. John’s Wort
Iridaceae: Saffron
Lamiaceae: Mints, thyme, rosemary, skullcap, lavender, self-heal, lemon balm, motherwort, catnip, tulsi, sage, betony, vervain, Wood betony/hedge nettle, hyssop, basil, monarda, clary sage, marjoram, oregano, patchouli, thyme, wild dagga
Lauraceae: Camphor, cinnamon, rosewood
Lobeliaceae: Lobelia
Mackinlayaceae: Gotu Kola
Malphigiaceae: Banisteriopsius caapi
Malvaceae: Marshmallow, cacao, hibiscus
Marasmiaceae: Shitake mushroom
Meliaceae: Catuaba
Menispermaceae: Guduchi
Meripilaceae: Maitake mushroom
Moringaceae: Moringa
Myristicaceae: Nutmeg
Myrtaceae: Cajeput
Nelumbonaceae: Blue Lotus
Olacaceae: Muira puama
Oleaceae: Jasmine
Orobanchancaceae: Rehmannia
Oxalidaceae: Wood Sorrel
Paeoniaceae: Peony root
Palmaceae: Bettal Nut
Papaveraceae: Poppy, california poppy, corydalis, bleeding-heart
Passifloraceae: Passionflower
Pedaliaceae: Devils Claw
Phrymaceae: Monkeyflower
Piperaceae: Kava
Pinaceae: Cedar Wood, Douglas Fir, pine, spruce
Poaceae: Oatstraw, Vetiver, lemongrass, sweetgrass
Polygonaceae: Yellow dock, sorrel, he shou wu (Polygonum multiflora)
Ranunculaceae: Horny Goat’s Weed, black cohosh, Pulsatilla
Rhamnaceae: Zizyphus
Rosaceae: Rose, hawthorn, peach bark, meadowsweet, raspberry leaf
Rubiaceae: Gardenia fruit, cats claw, coffee, kratom, manjistha, yohimbe
Rutaceae: Lemon, orange peel, bergamot, citrus, coffee, neroli
Santalaceae: Sandalwood
Salicaceae: Willow
Scisandraceae: Schisandra
Schrophulariaceae: Bacopa/Brahmi
Simaroubaceae: Tongkat ali
Solanaceae: ashwaghanda, goji berry, cayenne, Goji berries, tobacco
Sterculiaceae: Kola Nut
Theaceae: Green/Black Tea
Tiliaceae: Linden
Turneraceae: Damiana
Urticaceae: Nettles
Valerianaceae: Valerian
Verbenaceae: Blue Vervain, lemon verbena
Violaceae: Violet
Zingiberaceae: Turmeric, cardamom, ginger
Zygophyllaceae: Puncture Vine
