Santalaceae FAMILY

Pyrularia pubera

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The whole plant, especially the fruit, contains an acrid poisonous oil[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ]. There are no known cases of poisoning, but just tasting the seed can cause severe irritation of the mouth, probably due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ].

Botanical Description

Pyrularia pubera is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 3.5 metres tall. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEastern N. America - New York to Georgia and Alabama

HabitatRich woods, often forming dense stands in second-growth forest; at elevations from 200 - 1,400 metres[ 235 Title An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Publication Author Britton. N. L. Brown. A. Publisher Dover Publications. New York. Year 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5 Description Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. A host generalist, parasitic on the roots of various native trees and shrubs and also reported to parasitize non-native planted fir trees[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]