SC - Betony

[Jessica Tiffin]

greetings, the list.

I'm fiddling with different oxymels for an A&S entry, and one of the
Anglo-Saxon ones calls for an infusion of betony (a relief "if a man is
tired after a long journey").  Problem is, I can't seem to lay my hands on
any betony, which uncaring Cape Town herbalists appear to consider a
non-essential herb.  Has anyone tasted this herb?  Could anyone suggest
something that I could substitute to approximate the taste?  The herb is
also known as wood betony, either stachus betonica or betonica officinalis
or stachys officinalis (go figure), and the most I know about the taste is
that Culpeper describes it as "sweet and spicy".

yours in herbal bafflement,
Jehanne


Lady Jehanne de Huguenin (Jessica Tiffin)
Chronicler, Shire of Adamastor, South Africa
http://users.iafrica.com/m/me/melisant
Sable, three owls rising argent, each maintaining a willow slip vert.