Stone Flowers

Latin name: Parmelia perlata

Sanskrit/Indian name:  Shaileyam

General information:

Stone Flowers are lichens growing in rosettes or spreading irregularly over the substratum, which gives the appearance of a flower. It is mainly composed of fungal mycelia, which forms a network enclosing algal cells.

The plant has astringent, bitter, acrid, cooling, anti-inflammatory and aphrodisiac properties.

Therapeutic constituents:

Usnic acid is the key active component of Stone Flowers, which have antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

Key therapeutic benefits:

• Stone Flowers are an important ingredient in herbal compositions for the treatment of seminal weakness and male sexual debility.
• It is also administered in fungal infections in women, like vaginal candidiasis.