Myrica gale
is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and
western Europe and parts of northern North America. It is a deciduous shrub
growing six feet. Common names include Bog Myrtle and Sweet Gale. The leaves
are spirally arranged, simple, 1 to 2 inch long, oblanceolate with a tapered
base and broader tip, and a crinkled or finely toothed margin. The flowers are
catkins, with male and female catkins on separate plants (dioecious). The fruit
is a small drupe. The foliage has a sweet resinous scent and is a traditional insect
repellent, used by campers to keep biting insects out of tents. It is
also a traditional ingredient of Royal Wedding bouquets and is used variously
in perfumery and as a condiment.
In
northwestern Europe (Germany, Belgium and Great Britain), it was much used in a
mixture called gruit as a flavouring for beer from the Middle Ages to the 16th
century, but it fell into disuse after hops had become widely available. In
modern times, some brewers have revisited this historic technique.
It typically
grows in acidic peat bogs, and to cope with these difficult nitrogen-poor
growing conditions,(similar to legumes) the roots have nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria which enable
the plants to grow.
- Leaves are edible raw
- Leaves andnutlets are suitable for soups, stews and other cooking
- Should not be consumed by pregnant women ; since it can induce abortions.
©Al (Alaex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment