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Peucedanum ostruthium

Common name:	Masterwort	Family:	Umbelliferae
Author:	(L.)Koch.	Botanical references:	17, 50, 200
Synonyms:	Imperatoria ostruthium (L.)
Known Hazards:	Skin contact with the sap of this plant is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[65, 218]. It is also said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine[218].
Range:	S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat:	Woodland, damp fields, river banks and mountain meadows[17, 50].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Imperatoria major[G] Imperatoria ostruthia[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Angelica [E], Hogfennel [E], Imparatorotu [E], Imperatoria [E], Masterwort [H,B,E,P], Walwurz [E],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Belgium Eurasia Europe Spain Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.2m. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 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

Meadow, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Condiment Leaves.

Leaves - cooked[2, 115, 177]. Used as a potherb or as a flavouring[61, 183].
The aromatic roots can be used as a flavouring[183]. They are said to taste hotter than pepper[4]. A particularly popular drink is made from the fermented roots[7].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antispasmodic Aromatic Bitter Carminative Diaphoretic Digestive Diuretic Emmenagogue Expectorant Febrifuge Homeopathy Odontalgic Skin Stimulant Stomachic.

Masterwort is little used in modern herbalism, but it may well be a herb that bears further investigation[254]. It was held in high regard in the Middle Ages where it was especially valued for its ability to resolve all flatulence in the body and stimulate the flow of urine and menstruation[254]. It was also used in treating rheumatic conditions, shortness of breath, kidney and bladder stones, water retention and wounds[254].
The root is antispasmodic, aromatic, bitter, strongly carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant and stomachic[4, 7, 9, 21, 254]. It is of use in the treatment of asthma, dyspepsia and menstrual complaints[4], an infusion helps to relieve migraine[7]. The root is gathered in the spring or autumn and dried for later use[7, 9].
An essential oil from the plant has a euphoric and odontalgic effect[7]. Used externally, it relieves skin irritation[7].
When used externally, the plant or the extracted essential oil can cause an allergic reaction to sunlight[254].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots[9]. No details of its applications are given[K].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any moisture-retentive soil in a sunny position[200]. Dislikes shade. This report contradicts the report that this plant grows wild in woodlands.
Masterwort was at one time cultivated as a pot herb and for medicinal purposes, though it has now fallen into virtual disuse[4, 200].
Suitable for group plantings in the wild garden[200].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

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

References for Imperatoria ostruthium (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

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

References

[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.

[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.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[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.
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