Mayapple
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Article
| Mayapple | ||||||||||||||
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| Podophyllum peltatum | ||||||||||||||
 Mayapple in flower
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Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The binomial Podophyllum peltatum identifies a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to the eastern part of North America.
[edit] Description
[edit] Identification
The stems grow to 30-40 cm tall, with palmately lobed leaves up to 20-30 cm diameter with 5-9 deeply cut lobes. The plant produces two growth forms. The ones with a single umbrella-like leaf do not produce any flower or fruit. The plants having a twin leaf (rarely three-leaf) structure, however, bear a single white flower 3-5 cm diameter with six (rarely up to nine) petals, between the two leaves; this matures into a yellow-greenish fruit 2-5 cm long. The plant appears in colonies in open woodlands. Individual shoots are often connected by systems of thick tubers and rhizomes. [1]
[edit] Origin, Distribution, Habitat, and Life Cycle
- Origin
- Native to eastern North America
- Distribution
- eastern North America
- Habitat
- Shady, well-drained soil. Often found as undergrowth in forests.
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
[edit] Observations
For an on-going list of observations made by the users of the REWILD.info Field Guide, check out the Observations page.
[edit] Common Names
Mayapple is also called the Devil's apple, Hogapple, Indian apple, Umbrella plant (shape of the leaves), Wild lemon (flavor of the fruit), and American mandrake (shape of rhizomes).
[edit] Uses
[edit] Caution
All the parts of the plant, excepting the ripe fruit, are poisonous. This plant can kill humans within 24 hours. Even the fruit, though not dangerously poisonous, can cause unpleasant red/yellow diarrhea. The plant contains podophyllotoxin, which is used as a cytostatic and topically in the treatment of genital warts.
[edit] Edible Uses
The ripe fruit is edible in summer.
[edit] Medicinal Uses
According to Brian Fondren, the rhizome of the mayapple has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, originally by Native Americans and later by other settlers.[1]
[edit] Practical Uses
None identified.
[edit] Lore
The common name mayapple is a misnomer because it is the flower that appears in early May, not the "apple", which appears later during the summer; neither is it related to apples.
[edit] Gallery
Mayapple plant in flower |
Mayapple colony |
Mayapple diagram |
[edit] Disclaimer
| Disclaimer | Rewild.info, its parent company Mythmedia, and Rewild.info contributors are not responsible or liable for any of the information used on this website. Practice at your own risk! |
[edit] Sources
Attribution
- Copied from the Wikipedia article Podophyllum peltatum licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
Web
- USDA information on Mayapple
- Mayapple information @ utexas.edu
- Mayapple information @ 2bnthewild
- On American Mayapple as practical source of podophyllotoxin
References
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