Shepherd’s Purse Embryo
The shepherd’s purse has a slender stem, clusters of tiny white flowers, and triangular seed pods (the seed pods have been said to resemble old-world leather purses). The herb bears flat, heart-shaped fruit pods, which, upon ripening, separate into two valves containing numerous yellow, oblong seeds. Additionally, it has a long history of medicinal applications and is believed to have diuretic and haemostyptic properties. A decoction yields a tannate and alkaloid called Bursine.