Starting with the Herbs - Dandelion

I'm not sure where to start on this journey, but I do know that I like herbs. An intricate understanding of herbs seems like a skill that could be both important and useful.

Herbs are also a subject that has been labeled as witchcraft for centuries when many times it was the simple understanding of the plants. This understanding has a basis in science, and that makes it an easier place for me to mentally wade in.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

I'm starting my herbal journey with Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. This is a book that I've had on my shelf for a while now.

The really interesting part of this book is that is (obviously) focuses on the magical aspects of herbs. Comparing the magical properties with the practical properties mentioned in other books have a lot of overlap.

Dandelion (excerpt from Cunningham's)

DANDELION
(Taraxacum officinale)
Leaf: G; Root: Bb Bi Gi
Folk Names: Blowball, Cankerwort, Lion's Tooth, Piss-a-Bed, Priest's Crown, Puffball, Swine Snout, White Endive, Wild Endive
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Air
Deity: Hecate
Powers: Divination, Wishes, Calling Spirits Magical
Uses:

• To find out how long you will live, blow the seeds off the head of a dandelion. You will live as many years as there are seeds left on the head. 
• To tell the time: blow three times at the seed head. The number left is the hour. 
• The root, when dried, roasted, and ground like coffee, is used to make a tea. This infusion will promote psychic powers. This same tea, steaming and placed beside the bed, will call spirits. 
• To send a message to a loved one, blow at the seed head in his or her direction and visualize your message. Dandelion, buried in the northwest corner of the house, brings favorable winds. 

The Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier lists the main attributes of a dandelion as being a diuretic and detoxifying. It can be used to lose water weight, to reduce swelling (including swelling caused by acne), and as a prebiotic to keep the gut flora in good health.

These properties are due to the constituents of the plant.
The leaf has:

• coumarins, (fragrant organic chemical compound in the benzopyrone chemical class)
• carotenoids, (yellow fat-soluble pigment)
• and beneficial minerals (such as calcium). 

The root has:

• taraxacoside, 
• phenolic acid, 
• and minerals (such as potassium and calcium).