Bare-leaved hernia is native to the temperate zones of Europe and Asia, while hairy hernia is native to the Mediterranean regions, North Africa, and parts of Central Europe. Medicinally, the dried aerial parts of the plant (Herniariae herba) are used.
Hernia: typical characteristics
Hernia is a biennial to perennial prostrate plant with very small and inconspicuous leaves, flowers and fruits. In herbal medicine, people use Bare Fracturewort (Herniaria glabra), which is fresh green and shows almost no pubescence, and Hairy Fracturewort (Herniaria hirsuta), whose stems and leaves are gray-green and hairy.
The plant is characterized by the small size of its leaves, flowers and seeds. The stems are round, up to 2 mm thick and strongly branched. The leaves are up to 7 mm long, thick and obovate. Furthermore, small, five-petaled flowers and very small closing fruits occur.
Odor and taste of curdleweed
The herb gives off a pleasant odor, somewhat reminiscent of coumarin, the substance that also gives fresh hay its pleasant smell. Quarryweed tastes somewhat scratchy.
