Eriodictyon californicum
Encyclopedia
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.
and Oregon
, where it grows in several types of habitat
s, including chaparral
and Coast redwood forests.
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. 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, 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.
, so its basionym
is Wigandia californica.
, upper respiratory infections and allergic rhinitis
.
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
. These compounds have potential uses in food and pharmaceutical industry to mask bitter taste.
damaged or disturbed lands, such as overgrazed rangeland. It is, however, strongly fire-adapted, sprouting from rhizome
s after wildfire
and developing a waxy film of flammable resins on its foliage.
butterfly
food and habitat
plant.
Distribution
It is native to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where it grows in several types of habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s, including chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and Coast redwood forests.
Description
Eriodictyon californicum is a shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
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
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
, Heterosporium californicum. 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, although it does have multiple insect herbivores. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
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 WigandiaWigandia
Wigandia is a genus of flowering plants within the waterleaf subfamily, Hydrophylloideae. They are found mainly in Central America and South America, though one or two species are found as far north as the United States...
, so its basionym
Basionym
Basionym is a term used in botany, regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature...
is Wigandia californica.
Medicinal use
The leaves have historically been used to treat asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, upper respiratory infections and allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis, also known as pollenosis or hay fever, is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways.It occurs when an allergen, such as pollen, dust or animal dander is inhaled by an individual with a sensitized immune system...
.
Food use
EriodictyolEriodictyol
Eriodictyol is a bitter-masking flavanone, a flavonoid extracted from Yerba Santa , a plant native to North America...
is one of the 4 flavanones identified in this plant by the Symrise
Symrise
Symrise is a major producer of flavors and fragrances with sales of € 1,572 million in 2010. Major competitors include Firmenich, Givaudan, International Flavors and Fragrances and Takasago International.-History:...
Corporation as having taste-modifying properties, the other three being: homoeriodictyol
Homoeriodictyol
Homoeriodictyol is a bitter-masking flavanone extracted from Herba Santa a plant growing in America.Homoeriodictyol is one of the 4 flavanones identified by Symrise in this plant eliciting taste-modifying property: homoeriodictyol sodium salt, eriodictyol and sterubin...
, its sodium salt and sterubin
Sterubin
Sterubin is a bitter-masking flavanone extracted from Herba Santa a plant growing in America....
. These compounds have potential uses in food and pharmaceutical industry to mask bitter taste.
Environmental use
This species of shrub is used for revegetatingRevegetation
Revegetation is the process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land. This may be a natural process produced by plant colonization and succession, or an artificial , accelerated process designed to repair damage to a landscape due to wildfire, mining, flood, or other cause...
damaged or disturbed lands, such as overgrazed rangeland. It is, however, strongly fire-adapted, sprouting from rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s after wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
and developing a waxy film of flammable resins on its foliage.
Butterflies
Eriodictyon californicum is a specific Papilio eurymedonPapilio eurymedon
Papilio eurymedon, the pale swallowtail or pallid swallowtail is a relatively common swallowtail butterfly found throughout much of the western United States. It is found on the Pacific coast from northern Baja California to southernmost British Columbia and inland to New Mexico and the Black Hills...
butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
food and habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
plant.