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Paris quadrifolia

Common name:	Herb Paris	Family:	Trilliaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	The plant is poisonous in large doses[9, 13, 19, 65]. This refers to the fruit[200].
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, Macedonia, Siberia and the Caucasus
Habitat:	Damp woods on calcareous soils[13, 17].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Aconitum pardalianches[H] Solanum quadrifolium[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Eenbes [D], Einbeere [E], Herb Paris [H,E,MS], Herb-Paris [L], Oneberry [E], Tilki Uzumu [E], Uva De Raposa [E], Wang Sun [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	quadrifolia = 4 leaved;
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; Europe; Germany; Spain; Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.3m. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from May to August. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies and midges. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Deep Shade.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antidote; Antirheumatic; Aphrodisiac; Detergent; Homeopathy; Narcotic; Ophthalmic.

The entire plant, harvested just as it is coming into flower, is antirheumatic and detergent[13, 61, 178]. In large doses the herb is narcotic, producing nausea, vomiting, vertigo etc[4]. It should be used with great caution, overdoses have proved fatal to children[4]. In small doses it is of benefit in the treatment of bronchitis, spasmodic coughs, rheumatism, colic etc[4]. The plant is also used in the treatment of headaches and neuralgia[61, 178].
The seeds and the berries have something of the nature of opium, they have been used as an aphrodisiac[4].
A tincture of the fresh plant is useful as an antidote to poisoning by mercurial sublimate and arsenic[4].
A cooling ointment made from the seeds and juice of the leaves is applied externally to wounds, tumours and inflammations[4].
The juice of the berries is used to treat eye inflammations[4].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[4].

Other Uses

Dye.

A red dye is obtained from the berries[13].
A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves[137].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in a humus-rich soil in woodland conditions[200]. Prefers a light sandy loam[42, 90].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200].
The presence of this plant in a truly wild state in Britain is an indicator of ancient woodland[200].
Plants are very slow to flower from seed[137]. The flowers are very long-lived[200].
The flowers emit a strong unpleasant smell rather like decaying meat[245].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as soon as it is received. The seed is very slow to germinate. It produces a primary root about 7 months after sowing, this pulls the seed deeper into the soil. Leaves are produced about 4 months later[137]. Sow the seed thinly so that it does not need to be thinned and grow the young plants on undisturbed in a shady part of the greenhouse for their first two years of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. At the end of the second year's growth prick out the young plants into individual pots and grow them on for another year or two in a shady part of the greenhouse before planting them out in the spring.
Division.

Scent

Flowers: Fresh: The flowers emit a strong unpleasant smell rather like decaying meat[245].

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.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for paris quadrifolia (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

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

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.

[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.

[19] Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.

[42] Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[137] ? The Plantsman. Vol. 9. 1986 - 1987. Royal Horticultural Society 1986
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants including Carya spp and Crocus sativus.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[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.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

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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.
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