Many species of Epimedium have aphrodisiac qualities associated with content of icariin. According to legend, this property was discovered by a Chinese goatherder who noticed sexual activity in his flock after they ate the weed. It is sold as a health supplement, usually in raw herb, tablet, or capsule form and sometimes blended with other supplements. The over-exploitation of wild populations of Epimedium for use in traditional Chinese medicine is having potentially serious consequences for the long-term survival of several species, none of which is widely cultivated for medicinal purposes