ABSTRACT
Eupatorium is a genus of about 45 species, most of them endemic to the eastern United States (Mabberley 1997). However, there is one famous species native to Europe-E. cannabinum. That plant was well known by people in all European countries when the New World was discovered. The herb was an important medicine, particularly in treating “ague” (malaria). Some of the names for it in Europe are cainb-uisge (water hemp, Gaelic), canapa selvatica (wild hemp, Italian), eupatoire chanvrine (hemp eupatorium, French), eupatório de avecena (Avicenna’s eupatorium, Portuguese), hemp-agrimony (compares it with Cannabis and Agrimonia), hjorterost (hjort, deer, touched,
Norwegian), trevo cervino (deer’s three-leaves, Portuguese), and Wasserdost (water oregano, German).
