- Eriodictyon californicum
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Eriodictyon californicum 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: (unplaced) Family: Boraginaceae Subfamily: Hydrophylloideae Genus: Eriodictyon Species: E. californicum Binomial name Eriodictyon californicum
(Hook. & Arn.) Torr.Synonyms Eriodictyon californicum is a species of plant within the Hydrophyllaceae family. It is also known as Yerba Santa, Mountain Balm, Consumptive's Weed and Bear Weed.[2]
Contents
Distribution
It is native to California and Oregon, where it grows in several types of habitats, including chaparral and Coast redwood forests.
Description
Eriodictyon californicum is a shrub growing one to three meters tall, typically found in clonal stands. The smaller branches and foliage are coated in a sticky resin and are often dusted with black fungi, Heterosporium californicum.[3] The narrow, long leaves are somewhat lance-shaped and up to 15 centimeters in length. They have an odor generally considered unpleasant and a bitter taste, making them unpalatable to most animals,[3] although it does have multiple insect herbivores. The inflorescence is a cluster of bell-shaped white to purplish flowers, each between one and two centimeters in length.
Taxonomy
When first described, the California Mountain Balm was placed in genus Wigandia, so its basionym is Wigandia californica.[1]
Medicinal use
The leaves have historically been used to treat asthma, upper respiratory infections and allergic rhinitis.[3]
Food use
Eriodictyol is one of the 4 flavanones identified in this plant by the Symrise Corporation as having taste-modifying properties, the other three being: homoeriodictyol, its sodium salt and sterubin.[4] These compounds have potential uses in food and pharmaceutical industry to mask bitter taste.
Environmental use
This species of shrub is used for revegetating damaged or disturbed lands, such as overgrazed rangeland.[3] It is, however, strongly fire-adapted, sprouting from rhizomes after wildfire and developing a waxy film of flammable resins on its foliage.[3]
Butterflies
Eriodictyon californicum is a specific Papilio eurymedon butterfly food and habitat plant.
References
- ^ a b Wigandia californica, the basionym for Eriodictyon californicum was first described and published in The Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage 364, pl. 88. 1839. "Name - Wigandia californica Hook. & Arn.". Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. http://tropicos.org/Name/50326000. Retrieved May 23, 2011. "Annotation: as 'Californica' "
- ^ Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz. Yerba Santa Eriodictyon californicum. Flower Essence Society.
- ^ a b c d e Forest Service Fire Ecology
- ^ Ley, JP; Krammer, G; Reinders, G; Gatfield, IL; Bertram, HJ (2005). "Evaluation of bitter masking flavanones from Herba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum (H. And A.) Torr., Hydrophyllaceae)". Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 53 (15): 6061–6. doi:10.1021/jf0505170. PMID 16028996.
External links
Categories:- Eriodictyon
- Flora of California
- Flora of Oregon
- Plants described in 1839
- Flora of the Sierra Nevada region (U.S.)
- Flora of California chaparral and woodlands
- Butterfly food plants
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