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Mitella diphylla

Common name:	Mitrewort	Family:	Saxifragaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	200, 235
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Eastern N. America - Quebec to Minnesota, North Carolina and Missouri.
Habitat:	Rich woodlands, meadows and swamps[200, 235].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	M. oppositifolia[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Two-leaf Bishop's-cap [B], Twoleaf Miterwort [P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	diphylla = 2 leaved; mite = soft;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Rosales. Saxifrage family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen perennial growing to 0.4m. It is hardy to zone 3. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Febrifuge; Ophthalmic.

An infusion of the leaves is used to treat fevers[200]. The infusion can also be used as eye drops for sore eyes[257].

Other Uses

Ground cover.

A good ground cover in moist woodland[200]. Plants form a carpet and should be spaced about 45cm apart each way[208].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in moist woodlands and in pockets in rock gardens[200]. Requires a moist humus-rich soil[208].
Self-sows when grown in a rich soil[200] and usually spreads quickly by this means[208].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing it as soon as it is ripe or in early spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on 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.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[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.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Saxifragaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[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.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

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?Mitella+diphylla
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Mitella+diphylla

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.