Myricaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Myrica gale

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

This plant is an abortifacient and so should not be eaten by pregnant women[ 4 Title A Modern Herbal. Publication Author Grieve. Publisher Penguin Year 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 Description Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants. , 172 Title Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. Publication Author Schofield. J. J. Publisher Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska Year 2003 ISBN 0882403699 Description A nice guide to some useful plants in that area. ].

Botanical Description

Myrica gale is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 2.00 metres tall. The plant spreads by means of suckers and can form thickets[ 186 Title Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Publication Author Beckett. G. and K. Publisher Jarrold Year 1979 ISBN - Description An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. Myrica gale is widespread and, while it is possibly declining in parts of its range, it is not thought that any global population decline is likely to meet (or be close to meeting) the threshold for Vulnerable. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2015)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeWestern Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Portugal; E. Asia - Japan, eastern China, Russian Far East; northern and central N. America

HabitatBogs, marshes, fens and wet heathland in acid soils but plants are occasionally found in calcareous fens[ 5 Title Food for Free. Publication Author Mabey. R. Publisher Collins Year 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5 Description Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants. , 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. , 186 Title Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Publication Author Beckett. G. and K. Publisher Jarrold Year 1979 ISBN - Description An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants. ].