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Menyanthes trifoliata
| Common name: |
Bogbean |
Family: |
Menyanthaceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, N. and C. Asia, Morocco. |
| Habitat: |
Shallow water on the edges of ponds and in marshy ground, usually in acid soils[7, 17, 24]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| M. trifoliata var. minor[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Bogbean [H,L], Buck-bean [B], Buckbean [S,H], Cho Ts'Ai [E], Common Buckbean [P], Marsh Buckbean [E], Marsh Clover [H], Marsh Trefoil [H], Menyanthe [E], Ming Ts'Ai [E], Mitu-Gasiwa [E], Nd [E], Shui Ts'Ai [E], Suyoncasi [E], Trebol De Agua [E], Trefle [E], Trefoil,Bean [E], Tsui Ts'Ao [E], Water Trefoil [H], Waterdrieblad [D], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
trifoliata = 3 leaved
trifolia = 3 leaves
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Solanales. Buckbean family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Canada(Kwakiutl)
China Europe France Scandinavia Spain Turkey Us Us(Dc)
|
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 0.25m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 3. It is in flower from May to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).
We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires wet soil and can grow in water.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Pond, Bog Garden.Edible Uses
Condiment
Root.
Root - cooked[2, 55]. It must be treated to get rid of an acrid
taste[115, 172]. This can be done by drying the root, grinding it into a
powder and then washing it in running water[2]. Unfortunately, this treatment
will also get rid of many of the vitamins and minerals contained in the
root[K]. The powder can be used for making 'missen bread' (famine
bread)[183]. The root is an emergency food that is used when all else
fails[177].
The intensely bitter leaves are used as a substitute for hops in making
beer[2, 7, 13, 145, 183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antiinflammatory
Astringent Carminative Cathartic Deobstruent Digestive Diuretic Emetic Emmenagogue Febrifuge Hypnotic Stomachic Tonic.
Bogbean is closely related to the gentians, which are famous bitter
herbs used as a digestive and general body tonic[238]. This plant can be used
similarly, but it can irritate the digestive system of patients with gastric
inflammation or infection[238].
The plant is anti-inflammatory, astringent, carminative, cathartic,
deobstruent, digestive, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypnotic,
stomachic, tonic[4, 7, 9, 13, 21, 165, 172, 174, 207, 222, 238]. All parts of
the plant are medically active, but the leaves are the part most commonly
used[4, 213]. The leaves are best harvested in late spring or early summer
and dried before use[9, 222], the fresh plant causes vomiting[222].
An infusion is given in the treatment of muscular weakness in M.E., chronic
infections with debility and exhaustion, indigestion, anorexia and
rheumatism[238]. Given in small doses of about 10 grains it imparts vigour to
the stomach and aids digestion[207, 222]. Using the plant helps a person to
gain weight[254]. It s also believed to be an effective remedy for rheumatoid
arthritis, especially when this condition is associated with weakness, weight
loss and lack of vitality[254]. Bogbean is usually prescribed in combination
with other herbs such as celery seed (Apium graveolens) and white willow
(Salix alba)[254]. This plant should not be prescribed for patients with
diarrhoea, dysentery or colitis[238]. Excess doses cause vomiting[238]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
None known
Cultivation details
Grow in a bog garden in wet peaty soil or in shallow water at the edge
of a pond[187]. Prefers acid conditions[238]. Succeeds in water up to 30cm
deep[24]. Dislikes shade.
Plants can be very invasive, spreading by means of long-creeping thick
surface rhizomes[187].
A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25° c[187].
Cats are very fond of this plant[174].
Propagation
Do not allow the seed to dry out. Sow late winter to early spring in a
pot in a cold frame and keep the pot just submerged in water. When they are
large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow
them on in trays of water in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant
them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after
the last expected frosts.
Division in spring. Very easy, the divisions can be planted straight out
into their permanent positions if required. However, particularly with
smaller divisions, we find it better to pot them up and grow them on in a
cold frame for a few weeks until they are established.
Cuttings taken in summer can be inserted into the mud at the side of the
pond and will normally root well.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] SW USA Dist. Maps
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for menyanthes trifoliata (a possible synonym).
References for the family Menyanthaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.
[55] Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973
Interesting reading.
[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.
[145] Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976
A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.
[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[207] Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
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Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Menyanthes+trifoliata
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