Solanaceae FAMILY

Mandragora officinarum

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

All parts of the plant, but especially the roots, contain a range of alkaloids and are poisonous[ 19 Title Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Stary. F. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3 Description Not very comprehensive, but easy reading. , 21 Title The Herb Book. Publication Author Lust. J. Publisher Bantam books Year 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2 Description Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book. ]. Only slightly so according to one report[ 89 Title Flowers of the Mediterranean. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Publisher Hogarth Press Year 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1 Description A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses. ], which is probably referring to the aerial parts since the roots can be highly toxic[ 1316 Title A revision of the genus Mandragora (Solanaceae) Publication Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 28(1): 17-40 Author Ungricht S.; Knapp S; Press J.R. Publisher Year 1998 ISBN 0968-0446 Description A detailed study of the genus, including information on the historical and modern medicinal uses ].

Botanical Description

Mandragora officinarum is a virtually stemless, herbaceous perennial plant forming a rosette of leaves from a deep, often branched taproot. The leaves are very variable in size but are generally up to 45cm long[ 1316 Title A revision of the genus Mandragora (Solanaceae) Publication Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 28(1): 17-40 Author Ungricht S.; Knapp S; Press J.R. Publisher Year 1998 ISBN 0968-0446 Description A detailed study of the genus, including information on the historical and modern medicinal uses ]. Mandrake has a very long history of medicinal use, based mainly on the range of alkaloids contained in its roots which can have hallucinogent and narcotic effects. It is little used in modern herbalism, though has been used as a source of compounds for the pharmaceutical industry[ 1316 Title A revision of the genus Mandragora (Solanaceae) Publication Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 28(1): 17-40 Author Ungricht S.; Knapp S; Press J.R. Publisher Year 1998 ISBN 0968-0446 Description A detailed study of the genus, including information on the historical and modern medicinal uses ]. The plant is an ingredient in some commercial cosmetic preparations, and is sometimes grown as an ornamental or medicinal herb in gardens.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMediterranean region - Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Balkans, Greece; Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia; Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan

HabitatOpen woodland, deserted fields and stony places[ 21 Title The Herb Book. Publication Author Lust. J. Publisher Bantam books Year 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2 Description Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book. , 89 Title Flowers of the Mediterranean. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Publisher Hogarth Press Year 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1 Description A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses. ]. Open woodland, olive groves, fallow land, waysides, railway embankments, ruins, crevices; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[ 1316 Title A revision of the genus Mandragora (Solanaceae) Publication Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 28(1): 17-40 Author Ungricht S.; Knapp S; Press J.R. Publisher Year 1998 ISBN 0968-0446 Description A detailed study of the genus, including information on the historical and modern medicinal uses ].