English Mandrake

This genus of about ten species of tuberous, climbing perennials occurs in Eurasia, N Africa, and Canary Islands. Bryonia dioica is an easy, fast-growing climber for the wild garden or to cover eyesores, flowering from late spring to late summer. The red berries are poisonous. It is closely related to B. alba, differing mainly in having black, rather than red, berries. They are used in similar ways, although homeopathic remedies contain only B. alba. The name Bryonia comes from the Greek bryo, "to sprout", and refers to the annual growth from the tuber. The specific epithet dioica means "dioecious", that is, with male and female flowers on separate plants. The tuber of B. dioica was once known as "English mandrake" and traditionally hung in herb shops, often trimmed to human-like shape to resemble the true mandrake, Mandragora officinarum (see mandrake. It can reach a great size: "The Queen's chief surgeon shewed me a root thereof that waied half an hundredweight, and of the bignes of a child of a yeare old" (Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, 1653). Black bryony (Tamus communis) has similar uses. Though unrelated, it too is a climber and often occurs in the same areas as white bryony.

Climbing, herbaceous perennial with a large tuber, wiry stems, and palmate leaves to 7cm (3in) long. The 5-petaled flowers are pale green; males long-stalked, females short-stalked, in umbels of two to five, followed by red berries.

Common Name:	English Mandrake
Other Names:	White bryony, red bryony
Botanical Name:	Bryonia dioica
Genus:	Bryonia
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Native Location:	Europe, except Scandinavia
Cultivation:	Well-drained neutral to alkaline soil in sun.
Propagation:	By seed sown in autumn; by root cuttings or division of tuber in winter.
Harvest:	Root is lifted in autumn, sliced, and dried for liquid extracts.
Height:	4m (12ft)
Hardiness:	Z4-9
Parts Used:	Roots
Properties:	A bitter, purgative herb that irritates the tissues, increasing blood supply to the area. It is known to have anti-tumor, anti-rheumatic, and anti-viral effects.
Medicinal Uses:	Formerly used internally in small doses for bronchial complaints, asthma, intestinal ulcers, hypertension, and arthritis. Externally, as a rubefacient, in muscular and joint pains, and pleurisy. For use by qualified practitioners only. Not prescribed during pregnancy. Highly toxic in large doses.
Warning:	All parts are poisonous. Fresh root is a severe skin irritant.
Bibliography:	Encylopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright ©: 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited pp 147-148