Eriodictyon californicum is a species of plant within the family Boraginaceae. It is also known as yerba santa (sacred herb), mountain balm, bear's weed, gum bush, gum plant, and consumptive weed.[2] Less common names include Herbe des Montagnes, Herbe à Ourse, Herbe Sacrée, Herbe Sainte, Hierba Santa, Holy Herb, and Tarweed.[3]
Eriodictyon californicum is an evergreen aromatic shrub with woody rhizomes, typically found in clonal stands growing to a height of 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m).[2] The dark green, leathery leaves are narrow, oblong to lanceolate, and up to 15 centimeters (5.9 in) in length. Foliage and twigs are covered with shiny resin and are often dusted with black fungi, Heterosporium californicum.
It is similar to its Southern California sibling E. crassofolium.
The shrub is known to be an occasional source of nutrition for wildlife and livestock.[4] Their bitterness makes them unpalatable to most animals,[4] although it does have multiple insect herbivores, including butterflies.[5] The inflorescence is a cluster of bell-shaped white to purplish flowers, each between one and two centimeters in length.
Taxonomy
When first described, it was placed in genus Wigandia, so its basionym is Wigandia californica.[1]
Eriodictyol is one of the 4 flavanones identified in this plant by the Symrise Corporation as having taste-modifying properties, the other three being: homoeriodictyol, its sodium salt and sterubin.[12] These compounds have potential uses in food and pharmaceutical industry to mask bitter taste.
Environmental use
This species of shrub is used for revegetating damaged or disturbed lands, such as overgrazed rangeland.[4] It is strongly fire-adapted, sprouting from rhizomes after wildfire and developing a waxy film of flammable resins on its foliage.[4]
^ abMurphy, Dennis D., Marian S. Menninger, and Paul R. Ehrlich. "Nectar Source Distribution as a Determinant of Oviposition Host Species in Euphydryas Chalcedona." Oecologia 62.2 (1984): 269-71.
