The native medical plant “Clammy Inula” (Inula viscosa L.) (family Compositae), is a perennial weed native to the Mediterranean. It grows on hill slopes, damp habitats, and roadsides. In folklore medicine, the plant is used for therapeutic purposes, such as a diuretic, topical anti-inflammatory, haemostatic, and for other purposes. Aqueous extracts of I. viscosa were shown to exhibit antifungal activity in vitro for phytopathogenic.
Dear Dr. Al-Masri,
I know very well Inula viscosa and odor of its leaves. It is very common near of my house (South-East of France) and in all south of France on calcareous soils. I was ignoring its medicinal use.
But I know well this plant as very useful natural reservoir of one Hymenoptera (Chalcidoidea Eupelmidae) (named Eupelmus urozonus, which is probably a biological complex of species). In Inula, E. urozonus parasitises larvae of one Trypdaetidae (Diptera). Useful plant (in Mediterranean south of France) for biological control of the Olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) and of the Olive moth (Prays oleae).
Sincerely yours.
Dr. André Panis, Scientific Associate at French National Research Institute for Agriculture
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