Aletris farinosa - Alétris farineux
Vivace (0.6m de haut par 0.15m de large).
Habitat
- Exposition
- Plein soleil
- Humidité
- Humidité moyenne.
- Sol
- Sol léger à moyen. Nécessite un sol drainant.
- pH
- Acide
- Rusticité
- Zone 7
- Habitat originel
- Grassy or sandy woodlands, in dry or moist peats, sands and gravels, especially on the seashore[4, 21, 43]
- Origine géographique
- South-eastern N. America - Southern Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Wisconsin.
Dangers connus
- The fresh root is mildly poisonous [21].
Comestibilité
- Bulbe - cuit [105, 161, 177].
- Intensely bitter [2].
- A bitter-sweet soapy taste [238].
Usages médicinaux
- The greatest value of unicorn root is its tonic influence on the female generative organs, proving to be of great use in treating cases of habitual miscarriages [4].
- It also promotes the appetite and is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, rheumatism and jaundice [222].
- The root is bitter, diuretic, narcotic and tonic [1, 21, 46, 213].
- Only use the dried rootstock[21], in large doses the fresh root is somewhat narcotic, emetic and cathartic [4].
- A decoction of the root is a bitter tonic and has been used for expelling flatulence and for various uterine disorders [207, 222].
- It is used in the treatment of colic, though small doses, especially of the fresh root[4], can cause hypogastric colic [222].
- The root is harvested in late summer after flowering and dried for later use [238].
- The root contains diosgenin, which has both anti-inflammatory and oestrogenic properties [222].
- A tea of the leaves has been used in the treatment of colic, stomach disorders, dysentery and bloody dysentery [213, 257].
Culture
- Prefers a damp sunny position in peat, leafmold and sand [1].
- Nécessite une position ensoleillée [200].
- Plants are hardy to between -10 and -15°c [200].
Propagation
- Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in early spring .
- Sow the seed thinly to allow the seedlings to be grown on for their first year without potting them up, but give a liquid feed from time to time to ensure that they do not become nutrient deficient .
- Prick the young plants out into individual pots the following spring and grow them on in the greenhouse for the next winter .
- Plantez les à leur place définitive au début de l'été .
- Division au printemps .
Calendrier
- En fleur
- 5 - 8
Pollinisation
- Type de fleur
- Hermaphrodite (les fleurs ont des organes mâles et femelles)
- Auto-fertile
- Non
Divers
- Pollution
- Non
- Autres réferences
- [43, 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]).
[2] Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. 1972.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[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.
[21] The Herb Book. 1983.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[43] Gray's Manual of Botany. 1950.
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
[46] Dictionary of Economic Plants. 1959.
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[105] Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. 1976.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161] Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[177] Plants for Human Consumption. 1984.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[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.
[207] The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. 1993.
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
[213] Earth Medicine, Earth Food. 1980.
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[222] A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. 1990.
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[238] Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. 1995.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[257] Native American Ethnobotany 1998.
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
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