Hi Lisa:

The yerba buena that is used in Mexico is what I always called "mint" in
the Chicago area. It is the same stuff that they stick in mine juleps, and
other bar drinks, and is definitely *not* peppermint, but rather closer to
a spearmint kind of taste. I am at the office, but once at home I'll check
our book of Mexican Herbolaria (Mexican Herbal Medicine guide) and will get
back to you tomorrow with the scientific name with luck.

It makes a great tea.....but in this part of Mexico the only home remedy
used to relieve baby's colicky crying is called "te de anis-estrella" which
translates as "star-anis tea".  However, the peds and I are on the warpath
against this practice due to some cases of intoxication (is this the right
word in English? I mean that the babies were ill, not drunk) from this tea.
Seems that there are two varieties of this anis flower...one has a sedative
effect and the other was stimulating. Best to not wonder which kind you're
making the tea out of, eh?

Talk to you manana...

Roberta