Rhododendron tomentosum (syn.Ledum palustre), commonly known as marsh Labrador tea, northern Labrador tea or wild rosemary, is a flowering plant in the subsection Ledum of the large genus Rhododendron in the family Ericaceae.
It is a low shrub growing to 50 cm (rarely up to 120 cm) tall with evergreenleaves 12–50 mm long and 2–12 mm broad. The flowers are small, with a five-lobed white corolla, and produced several together in a corymb 3–5 cm diameter. They emit strong smell to attract bees and other pollinating insects.
Rhododendron tomentosum is used in herbalism to make an herbal tea called "Labrador tea". However, no objective material benefit has ever been documented in any properly controlled study to date.
Other usesedit
Marsh Labrador tea has traditionally been used as a gruit in brewing beer in the Middle Ages.[4] Due to its strong fragrance, it has also formerly been used as a natural deterrent against clothes moths, also mosquitos and bugs in general, in Scandinavia and in Eastern Europe.
Referencesedit
^"Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
^Duke, James A. (2017-12-06), "Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other Economic Plants", Routledge, pp. 1–654, doi:10.1201/9780203752623-1, ISBN9780203752623, retrieved 2021-11-29{{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^Herbs of the Northern Shaman: A Guide to Mind-Altering Plants of the Northern Hemisphere.
^Buhner, Stephen (1998). Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers. Boulder, CO: Siris Books. p. 169. ISBN978-0-937381-66-3.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhododendron tomentosum.
rhododendron, tomentosum, ledum, palustre, commonly, known, marsh, labrador, northern, labrador, wild, rosemary, flowering, plant, subsection, ledum, large, genus, rhododendron, family, ericaceae, marsh, labrador, tear, tomentosum, flowerscientific, classifica. Rhododendron tomentosum syn Ledum palustre commonly known as marsh Labrador tea northern Labrador tea or wild rosemary is a flowering plant in the subsection Ledum of the large genus Rhododendron in the family Ericaceae Marsh Labrador teaR tomentosum in flowerScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder EricalesFamily EricaceaeGenus RhododendronSpecies R tomentosumBinomial nameRhododendron tomentosumHarmajaSynonyms 1 List Ledum decumbens Aiton Lodd ex Steud Ledum dilatatum Rupr Ledum graveolens Gilib Ledum groenlandicum f denudatum Vict amp J Rousseau Ledum maximum Nakai A P Khokhr amp Mazurenko Ledum palustre L Ledum palustre var angustifolium Hook Ledum palustre var decumbens Aiton Ledum palustre f decumbens Aiton Y L Chou amp S L Tung Ledum palustre subsp decumbens Aiton Hulten Ledum palustre f denudatum Vict amp J Rousseau B Boivin Ledum palustre subsp longifolium Freyn Kitag Ledum palustre var minus Nakai Ledum palustriforme A P Khokhr amp Mazurenko Ledum tomentosum Stokes Rhododendron palustre L Kron amp Judd Rhododendron subarcticum Harmaja Rhododendron tomentosum subsp decumbens Aiton Elven amp D F Murray Rhododendron tomentosum subsp subarcticum Harmaja G D Wallace Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Chemical compounds 4 Similar species 5 Uses 5 1 Herbal medicine 5 2 Other uses 6 References 7 External linksDescription editIt is a low shrub growing to 50 cm rarely up to 120 cm tall with evergreen leaves 12 50 mm long and 2 12 mm broad The flowers are small with a five lobed white corolla and produced several together in a corymb 3 5 cm diameter They emit strong smell to attract bees and other pollinating insects Distribution and habitat editIt grows in northern latitudes in North America Greenland Canada and Alaska in Europe in the northern and central parts and in Asia south to northern China Korea and Japan It grows in peaty soils shrubby areas moss and lichen tundra Chemical compounds editAll parts of the plant contain poisonous terpenes that affect the central nervous system First symptoms of overdose are dizziness and disturbances in movement followed by spasms nausea and unconsciousness citation needed Among the plant s terpenes is ledol a cyclic alcohol with deliriant effects although poisonous in large doses 2 3 Similar species editThis species is not to be confused with the traditionally used one Rhododendron groenlandicum found throughout Northern North America Uses editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Herbal medicine edit Rhododendron tomentosum is used in herbalism to make an herbal tea called Labrador tea However no objective material benefit has ever been documented in any properly controlled study to date Other uses edit Marsh Labrador tea has traditionally been used as a gruit in brewing beer in the Middle Ages 4 Due to its strong fragrance it has also formerly been used as a natural deterrent against clothes moths also mosquitos and bugs in general in Scandinavia and in Eastern Europe References edit Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja Plants of the World Online Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 2017 Retrieved 12 December 2020 Duke James A 2017 12 06 Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other Economic Plants Routledge pp 1 654 doi 10 1201 9780203752623 1 ISBN 9780203752623 retrieved 2021 11 29 a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a Missing or empty title help Herbs of the Northern Shaman A Guide to Mind Altering Plants of the Northern Hemisphere Buhner Stephen 1998 Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers Boulder CO Siris Books p 169 ISBN 978 0 937381 66 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhododendron tomentosum Rhododendron tomentosum Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Flora of China Ledum palustre USDA PLANTS database Ledum palustre Den virtuella floran Distribution Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rhododendron tomentosum amp oldid 1185701915, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
