Myrica gale
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| iMyrica gale | ||||||||||||||
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 Myrica gale foliage and immature fruit
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| Myrica gale L. |
Myrica gale is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and western Europe and parts of northern North America. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1-2 m tall. Common names include Bog-myrtle and Sweet Gale. The leaves are spirally arranged, simple, 2-5 cm long, oblanceolate with a tapered base and broader tip, and a crinkled or finely toothed margin. The flowers are catkins, with male and female catkins on separate plants (dioecious). The fruit is a small drupe.
It typically grows in acidic peat bogs, and to cope with these difficult nitrogen-poor growing conditions, the roots have nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria which enable the plants to grow.
[edit] Uses
The foliage has a sweet resinous scent, and is a traditional insect repellant, used by campers to keep biting insects out of tents. It is also a traditional ingredient of Royal Wedding bouquets, and is used variously in perfumery and as a condiment.
In northwestern Europe (Germany, Belgium and Great Britain), it was a much used in a mixture called gruit as a flavouring for beer from the Middle Ages to the 16th century, but it fell into disuse after hops had become widely available.
[edit] Cautions
Myrica gale is an abortifacient and should not be consumed by women who are, or might be, pregnant.
[edit] External links
