Description: Euphrasia is a native British and European plant; naturalised locally in parts of the USA. It is a small downy annual herb which grows in meadows, pastures and other grassy areas. Its square leafy stem, up to 15cm long, is often branched near the base, bears leaves opposite near the base and alternate above, about 1cm long and 0.5cm broad, lanceolate, with four or five teeth on each side. The flowers are small, white or red, occasionally yellow, and often tinged with purple streaks with a yellow spot in the throat; axillary, two-lipped, with four yellow stamens

Euphrasia officinalis has been used to refer to a vast genus containing over 450 species. European wild plants grow in meadows, pastures, and grassy places in Bulgaria, Hungary, and the former Yugoslavia. Eyebright is also grown commercially in Europe. The plant flowers in late summer and autumn. The whole herb is used in commercial preparations.

The Eyebright will not grow readily in a garden if transplanted, unless 'protected' apparently, by grass. The reason for this is that it is a semi-parasite, relying for part of its nourishment on the roots of other plants. Above ground, it appears to be a perfectly normal plant, with normal flowers and bright green leaves - the leaves of fully parasitic plants are almost devoid of green colouring matter - but below the surface, suckers from its roots spread round and lie on the rootlets of the grassplants among which it grows. Where they are in contact, tiny nodules form and send absorption cells into the grass rootlets. The grass preyed upon does not, however, suffer very much, as the cells penetrate but a slight distance, moreover the Eyebright being an annual, renewing itself from year to year, the suckers on the grass roots to which it is attached also wither in the autumn, so there is no permanent drain of strength from the grass.

Euphrasia was regarded as a specific in diseases of the eyes by the great herbalists of the sixteenth century, Tragus, Fuchsius, Dodoens, etc., and has been a popular remedy in most countries.

The French call it Casse-lunette , the Germans Augentrös t (consolation of the eyes).

Main constituents: irodoid glycosides including aucubin, tannins, resins, phenolic acids, volatile oil, unidentified alkaloid, sterols, amino acids, choline

Properties: Slightly tonic and astringent

Uses: Although neglected nowadays by the faculty, modern herbalists still retain faith in this herb and recommend its use in diseases of the sight, weakness of the eyes, ophthalmia, etc., combining it often with Golden Seal in a lotion stated to be excellent for general disorders of the eyes. The juice obtained by expression from the plant in the fresh state is sometimes employed, or an infusion in milk, but the simple infusion in water is the more usual form in which it is applied. An infusion of 1 OZ. of the herb to a pint of boiling water should be used and the eyes bathed three or four times a day. When there is much pain, it is considered desirable to use a warm infusion rather more frequently for inflamed eyes till the pain is removed. In ordinary cases, the cold application is found sufficient

Safety Considerations: Due to limited information on the active constituents in eyebright and the need for sterility in substances used topically in the eyes, the traditional use of eyebright as a topical compress currently cannot be recommended. Used internally at the amounts listed above, eyebright is generally safe. However, its safety during pregnancy and lactation has not been proven.

Magical:

Folk Names: Euphrosyne, Red Eyebright

Gender: Masculine

Planet:Sun

Powers: Mental Powers:, Psychic Powers

Uses: Brewed into tea and drank, eyebright clears the mind and aids the memory. Carry it to increase psychic Powers:, also use it when you need to see the truth in a matter. An infusion applied to the eyelids on cotton pads induces magical clairvoyance, but it must be persisted in before results are achieved.

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