Actaea spicata - Actée en épi
Famille: Ranunculaceae, Genre: Actaea
Christophorienne, Ellébore noire, Herbe aux poux, Herbe de Saint Christophe, Herbe de St-Christophe, Herbe sans couture, Raisin de Loup
Vivace (0.5m de haut par 0.5m de large).
Habitat
- Exposition
- Ombre ou mi-ombre
- Humidité
- Humidité moyenne.
- Sol
- Tous sols.
- pH
- Sol acide ou calcaire
- Rusticité
- Zone 5
- Habitat originel
- Ash woods on limestone and in damp stony woods to 1500 metres[13, 17].
- Origine géographique
- Most of Europe, including Britain, through temperate and arctic Asia to China.
Dangers connus
- All parts of plant are poisonous but rarely fatal [4, 10, 13, 19, 65, 76].
Usages médicinaux
- The root is antispasmodic, cytostatic, emetic, nervine and purgative [4, 17, 65, 240].
- In Canada the root is used in the treatment of snakebite [211].
- It is also considered useful in the treatment of nervous disorders and rheumatic fever [211].
- In India it is used in the treatment of rheumatism, goitre and asthma [240].
- This remedy should be used with some caution, see the notes above on toxicity .
Autres usages
- The smell of the plant is reputed to drive away vermin [4].
- A black dye is obtained from the berries when alum is used as a mordant [4, 13, 74, 100].
- The seeds contain tannin [240].
Culture
- Succeeds in most conditions[233], but prefers a humus-rich moist soil in light shade doing well amongst shrubs and in light woods [1, 200].
- Une plante avare qui inhibe la croissance des plantes alentours, notamment les légumes [54].
Propagation
- Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame or outdoors in a moist shaded seedbed [200].
- The seed has a limited viability[200], it can also be sown in spring in a cold frame but germination rates may be poor .
- When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer of the following year .
- Division in March or October .
Calendrier
- En fleur
- 5 - 6
- Maturité des graines
- 7 - 8
Pollinisation
- Type de fleur
- Hermaphrodite (les fleurs ont des organes mâles et femelles)
- Auto-fertile
- Non
- Pollinisateurs
- Beetles, flies
Divers
- Pollution
- Non
- Autres réferences
- [17, 200]
Réferences
[1] RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 1951.
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[4] A Modern Herbal. 1984.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[10] Poisonous Plants and Animals. 1980.
A small book, reasonable but not very detailed.
A small book, reasonable but not very detailed.
[13] Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. 1975.
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[17] Flora of the British Isles. 1962.
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[19] Poisonous Plants. 1983.
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.
[54] How to Enjoy your Weeds. 1977.
Interesting reading.
Interesting reading.
[65] A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. 1984.
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
[74] Flora of the USSR. 1968.
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[76] Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. 1984.
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.
[100] Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. 1969.
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
[200] The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[211] Wild Flowers of Kashmir 1923.
A nice little pocket guide to 50 wildflowers of Kashmir. This is part one of three, we have not seen the other two volumes
A nice little pocket guide to 50 wildflowers of Kashmir. This is part one of three, we have not seen the other two volumes
[240] Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). 1986.
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
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