Lady's Mantle
Alchemilla Vulgaris / A. Mollis
Lady's Mantle is a beautiful plant with a magical history - medieval alchemists thought that the dew which forms on the leaves had magical properties, and could be used to turn metals into gold. It's a plant associated with women and the female reproductive system and menstruation.
Fun facts
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The fan like pleated leaves were thought to resemble the pleats of the cloak worn by Mary mother of Jesus. The dew had magical properties from being enclosed in her garment.(2)
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The dew droplets are in fact produced by the plant itself, by a process called 'guttation'
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Medieval alchemists would collect the droplets at dawn and call it "celestial water", using it in their experiments.
Identification tips
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It has quite distinctive lobed leaves. 17th Century Herbalist Nicholas Culpeper describes it well: "It has many leaves rising from the root, standing upon hairy foot-stalks, being almost round a nd little cut on the edges, into eight or ten parts, maiking it seem like a star, with so many corners and points, and dented round about, of a light green colour.... It flowers in May or June and is always green". (1)
Parts used
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Flowers and leaves.
Recipes
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Use in a tea infusion.
Thoughts and observations
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It's such a beautiful plant, so delicate and I find watching the droplets quite mesmorising.