A genus of small flowering plants in the figwort family, sometimes called 'hedge hyssop,' often found in wet habitats.
From Latin 'gratia' (grace), as the plant was believed to have healing properties or divine grace. The '-ola' suffix indicates a diminutive form, making it literally 'little grace.' Named by Carl Linnaeus in the 1700s.
Medieval herbalists called it 'plant of grace' because they thought it cured fevers and wounds, but we now know it's actually toxic—a reminder that just because something sounds medicinal doesn't mean it is!
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