The plant is a slow-growing, prostrate to sprawling shrub that prefers moist, shady habitats and acidic (humus-rich) soil. It is often part of the heath complex in an oak-heath forest.[2][3]
Its stems are woody and the leafy twigs are covered in rust-colored hairs. The leaves are alternate, ovate (oval-shaped with rounded bases), evergreen, glabrous above and more or less hairy beneath, and borne on short rusty-hairy petioles.
The flowers are pentamerous, pale pink to nearly white and very fragrant, about .5 inches (1.3 cm) across when expanded, and borne in clusters at the ends of the branches. The calyx consists of five dry, overlapping sepals. The corolla is salverform, with a slender hairy tube spreading into five equal lobes. There are 5 stamens. The gynoecium consists of one pistil with a columnar style and a five-lobed stigma.
The genus name Epigaea, meaning "upon the earth", refers to this species' sprawling growth habit.
The Algonquin use an infusion of leaves for kidney disorders.[5] The Cherokee use a decoction of the plant to induce vomiting to treat abdominal pain, and they give an infusion of the plant to children for diarrhea.[6] An infusion is also used for the kidneys and for "chest ailment".[7] They also take a compound infusion for indigestion.[8]
The Iroquois use a compound for labor pains in parturition, use a compound decoction for rheumatism, take a decoction of the leaves for indigestion, and they also take a decoction of the whole plant or roots, stalks and leaves taken for the kidneys.[9]
The Forest Potawatomi regard this as their tribal flower and consider it to have come directly from their divinity.[10]
^. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
^Schafale, M. P. and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina: third approximation. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation.
^Seuling, Barbara (1997) [1975]. Wacky Laws. Scholastic. ISBN9780590764841.
^Black, Meredith Jean 1980 Algonquin Ethnobotany: An Interpretation of Aboriginal Adaptation in South Western Quebec. Ottawa. National Museums of Canada. Mercury Series Number 65 (p. 216)
^Taylor, Linda Averill 1940 Plants Used As Curatives by Certain Southeastern Tribes. Cambridge, MA. Botanical Museum of Harvard University (p. 48)
^Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. (p. 23)
^Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. (p. 23)
^Herrick, James William 1977 Iroquois Medical Botany. State University of New York, Albany, PhD Thesis (p. 410)
^Smith, Huron H. 1933 Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians. Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7:1-230 (p. 118)
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USDA Plants Profile: Epigaea repens
Trailing Arbutus
January 01, 1970
epigaea, repens, mayflower, trailing, arbutus, ground, laurel, spreading, shrub, family, ericaceae, found, from, newfoundland, florida, west, kentucky, northwest, territories, scientific, classification, kingdom, plantae, clade, tracheophytes, clade, angiosper. Epigaea repens the mayflower trailing arbutus or ground laurel 1 is a low spreading shrub in the family Ericaceae It is found from Newfoundland to Florida west to Kentucky and the Northwest Territories Epigaea repens Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Asterids Order Ericales Family Ericaceae Genus Epigaea Species E repens Binomial name Epigaea repensL Contents 1 Description 2 Symbolism 3 Use among Native Americans 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription editThe plant is a slow growing prostrate to sprawling shrub that prefers moist shady habitats and acidic humus rich soil It is often part of the heath complex in an oak heath forest 2 3 Its stems are woody and the leafy twigs are covered in rust colored hairs The leaves are alternate ovate oval shaped with rounded bases evergreen glabrous above and more or less hairy beneath and borne on short rusty hairy petioles The flowers are pentamerous pale pink to nearly white and very fragrant about 5 inches 1 3 cm across when expanded and borne in clusters at the ends of the branches The calyx consists of five dry overlapping sepals The corolla is salverform with a slender hairy tube spreading into five equal lobes There are 5 stamens The gynoecium consists of one pistil with a columnar style and a five lobed stigma The genus name Epigaea meaning upon the earth refers to this species sprawling growth habit Symbolism editEpigaea repens is the floral emblem of both Nova Scotia and Massachusetts Digging up one in Massachusetts is punishable with a 50 fine 4 Use among Native Americans editThe Algonquin use an infusion of leaves for kidney disorders 5 The Cherokee use a decoction of the plant to induce vomiting to treat abdominal pain and they give an infusion of the plant to children for diarrhea 6 An infusion is also used for the kidneys and for chest ailment 7 They also take a compound infusion for indigestion 8 The Iroquois use a compound for labor pains in parturition use a compound decoction for rheumatism take a decoction of the leaves for indigestion and they also take a decoction of the whole plant or roots stalks and leaves taken for the kidneys 9 The Forest Potawatomi regard this as their tribal flower and consider it to have come directly from their divinity 10 See also editList of U S state flowers List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbolsReferences edit Epigaea repens Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 15 June 2022 The Natural Communities of Virginia Classification of Ecological Community Groups Version 2 3 Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation 2010 Archived from the original on 2009 01 15 Retrieved 2011 03 07 Schafale M P and A S Weakley 1990 Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina third approximation North Carolina Natural Heritage Program North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation Seuling Barbara 1997 1975 Wacky Laws Scholastic ISBN 9780590764841 Black Meredith Jean 1980 Algonquin Ethnobotany An Interpretation of Aboriginal Adaptation in South Western Quebec Ottawa National Museums of Canada Mercury Series Number 65 p 216 Taylor Linda Averill 1940 Plants Used As Curatives by Certain Southeastern Tribes Cambridge MA Botanical Museum of Harvard University p 48 Hamel Paul B and Mary U Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses A 400 Year History Sylva N C Herald Publishing Co p 23 Hamel Paul B and Mary U Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses A 400 Year History Sylva N C Herald Publishing Co p 23 Herrick James William 1977 Iroquois Medical Botany State University of New York Albany PhD Thesis p 410 Smith Huron H 1933 Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7 1 230 p 118 Blanchan Neltje 2005 Wild Flowers Worth Knowing Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation Pink A 2004 Gardening for the Million Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation The General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 2 Section 7 Flower or floral emblem of commonwealthExternal links edit nbsp Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about Epigaea repens nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Epigaea repens Dendrology at Virginia Tech Epigaea repens Plant UConn Database Epigaea repens USDA Plants Profile Epigaea repens Trailing Arbutus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Epigaea repens amp oldid 1217933494, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
