Achillea millefolium Yarrow

Yarrow is a common plant of grassland and roadside habitats on well-drained soils. Its inflorescences are usually white but an attractive pink form is occasionally found in wild popluations. Plants have a pungent aromatic smell when crushed and contain lots of bioactive compounds such as sesquiterpenoid lactones, flavonoids and volatile essential oils. It has been used widely in traditional medicines as an astringent wound herb and in anti-iflammatorry treatments generally, but other medicinal uses also include employment as an antioxidant and as an antiseptic/antibacterial agent. The name Achillea is derived fro the name of the Greek hero, Achilles, who used extracts from the plant to treat wounded comrades in the Trojan wars. It is a common plant of roadside verges and other grasslands habitats in West Glamorgan.