Vanilla Leaf - Achlys triphylla
Family: Berberidaceae (Barberry family) [E-flora]
Other Names: Deer foot, sweet after death. [WildPNW]
Synonyms
- Achlys californica [E-flora] [This syn. is a matter of debate. See 'Similar species' notes below]
- Achlys triphylla subsp. triphylla [E-flora]
General Spreading by underground roots.[WildPNW]
Lifecycle Perennial.[PFAF][PCBC2004]
Flowers "Numerous small flowers are in a slender spike." [PSW] Spikes 2-5cm long.[IFBC][E-flora] White, lacking sepals and petals.[PCBC2004] Stamens 8-20mm long.[IFBC][E-flora]
Fruits reddish purple berries.[WildPNW] for ssp. triphylla, while ssp. californica[AKA. A. californica]; usually brownish.[PWOBC] Achenes. Very finely hairy.[PCBC2004] Crescent shaped.[HNW]
Leaves Single large pinnate leaf.[PSW] 3 leaflets.[HNW] On stalks 10-30cm long.[PCBC2004] 3-9 lobed.[IFBC-E-flora] "...with a somewhat fleshy to leathery thickened ridge." [IFBC-E-flora]
Root Slender rhizomes.[PCBC2004] Scaly.[HNW]
Properties The dried leaves release a vanilla smell.[WildPNW]
Habitat Moist forests.[PSW] Open or closed forests, lowland to montane.[IFBC-E-flora]
Range Western N. America - British Columbia to California.[PFAF] Common and locally abundant.[PCBC2004] SW BC, Vancouver Isl. and Gulf Islands.[IFBC][E-flora]
Status Native.[E-flora]
Ecological Indicator Shade-tolerant. "Plentiful on Vancouver Island, sparse on [the] coastal mainland. Most frequent on water-shedding and water-receiving sites; commonly associated with Polystichum munitum." [IFBC-E-flora]
Similar Species 2 species in genus: western North America, Japan.[Jepson] "The distinction between Achlys triphylla and A. californica, which often coexist, is not sharp. Some botanists think that recognition of A. californica is not warranted."[PWOBC] "We are not convinced that A. californica is worthy of recognition."[IFBC-E-flora] The two North American species are chromosomally different, morphological separated by microscope, and one occupies well-drained, often open upland sites. The other... deeply shaded sites on low bottomland forests". (Klinkenberg)[E-flora] Both A. triphylla and A. triphylla ssp. japonica showed a "chemotaxonomically close relationship".(IInuma et al.)
Hazards
"It's probably best to avoid using Vanilla Leaf during pregnancy and with serious medication, especially anticoagulants." [MPPW]
Other Uses
- Insect Deterrent: Leaves used as an ethnoveterinary medicine to repel flies from ruminants. "Mid level validity as a fly repellent". (Lans et al.) The dried leaves were hung in houses to repel flies and mosquitoes.[Turner&Bell] "A decoction of the plant has been used as a furniture and floor wash to get rid of lice, bedbugs and other household pests[257]." [PFAF] Also used as a delousing wash for sheep. [Moerman NAEth] "An infusion of the leaves has been used as a hair wash[257]." [PFAF]
- Flavoring: "The crushed leaf gives a lovely taste to pipe tobacco or rolling tobacco... Zubrovka nastoika (Polish sweet vodka) can be approximated very nicely by adding a handful of leaves to a fifth of regular stuff and steeping for at least a month. It gives a green color to the booze." [MPPW]
- Scent: "The leaves have no scent until they dry, so don't worry that you went and picked the wrong plant. If it is dry and there is no smell, you did pick the wrong plant." "...can be added to crude incense for burning or "smudging."[MPPW]
- Storage: "Store the dried bundles in a plastic bag until you need some, then process the amount desired... When stored as above, it will last up to two years. If you pro- cess and garble immediately after drying, storing the leaves in ajar, they will stay aromatic for up to a year." [MPPW]
Medicinal Uses
"The plant was used by native North Americans to treat a number of health problems, though it is little used in modern herbalism[257, 270]."[PFAF]
"In fact, a pinch of the herb added to tea gives it a very pleasant taste and fragrance. Early Oregon settlers used it freely as a vanilla substitute, crushing a little leaf into cake batter and cookie dough (with no known ill effect), and several native peoples in Washington used it as a tea to take away some of the pain from tubercular coughing." [MPPW]
- Leaves: "An infusion of the leaves was used in the treatment of tuberculosis and as an emetic[257, 270]." [PFAF]
- Roots: "An infusion of the dry shredded roots was used to treat cataracts[257]."[PFAF]
Phytochemistry
"Coumarin, of course, which accounts for its vanilla scent." [MPPW]
"Four new flavonol glycosides were isolated from the underground parts of Achlys triphylla in addition to eight known compounds." (Lans et al., 2017)
Roots:
- "In [Achlys] triphylla subsp. japonica, the total contents of genistin or isorhamneticglycosides with acetyl group(s) were relatively less than those in Ac. triphylla".(IInuma et al.)
- kaempferol, (IInuma et al.)
- isorhamnetin,(IInuma et al.)
- vanillic acid, (IInuma et al.)
- p-hydroxybenzoic acid,(IInuma et al.)
- achlisocoumarins I (10) and IV, (IInuma et al.)
- genistein, (IInuma et al.)
- 3'-methylorbol (IInuma et al.)
- 3-Glucosyl(1->3)galactoside (found in underground parts) [Andersen FCBA]
- 3-(6"-Acetylglucosyl)(1->3)galactoside (found in underground parts) [Andersen FCBA]
- 8-Hydroxymyricetin 8-methyl ether (found in underground parts) [Andersen FCBA]
- Flavonol glycosides
- isorhamnetin 3-O-P-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-3)-P-D-galactopyranoside (IInuma et al.)
- isorhamnetin 3-glucosyl(1->3)galactoside (Mizuno et al.)
- isorhamnetin 3-[6"acetylglucosyl(1->3)galactoside] (Mizuno et al.)
- isorhamnetin 3-[46-di-acetylglucosyl(1->3)galactoside] (Mizuno et al.)
- syringetin 3-[6''-acetylglucosyl(1->3)galactoside] (Mizuno et al.)
Cultivation
"A woodland plant, it requires a position in semi-shade and a humus-rich soil[280]."[PFAF]
Propagation
"Seed - we have no information for this species, but it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a shady part of a cold frame. If stored seed is used, it should be sown as soon as it is received. Germination can be erratic. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady part of a greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions during autumn or early winter. Division should be possible in early spring or just after flowering."[PFAF]
Achlys - Vanilla Leaf
"Perennial herb; rhizome scaly; caudex short, erect; wood, especially of roots, often yellow. Leaf: 1–few, basal, long-petioled, 1-ternate; leaflets triangular to fan-shaped, bases tapered. Inflorescence: ± scapose, spike, dense; lateral flowers generally unisexual, terminal bisexual. Flower: perianth 0; stamens (8)9(13), anther valves flap-like, curled inward; ovule 1, style 0, stigma ± flat, furrowed. Fruit: achene, curved, furrowed, brown to red-purple."
2 species: western North America, Japan. (Greek: thin mist or obscurity, from inconspicuous flowers)
[Jepson]
Local Species;
References
- E-flora - Achlys triphylla, E-flora B.C., Accessed Oct 8, 2015, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Achlys%20triphylla
- IInuma et al. - CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS IN THE GENUS ACHLYS, Munekazu Iinuma, Hideki Tosa, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Mizuo mizuno, Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 56, No. 9, pp. 1638-1641, Sept. 1993
- Jepson - Michael P. Williams, 2013. Achlys, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=8927, accessed on Jun 18 2014
- Lans et al. - Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada, Cheryl Lans, Nancy Turner, Tonya Khan, Gerhard Brauer and Willi Boepple, Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2007, 3:11 Open access article
- Mizuno et al. - Four flavonol glycosides from Achlys triphylla, Mizuno M, Yoshida S, Iinuma M, Tanaka T, Tsuji K, Lang FA., Phytochemistry. 1992 Jan;31(1):301-3.
- PFAF - Plants For A Future, Achlys triphylla, Accessed October 7, 2015, http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Achlys+triphylla
- Turner&Bell - The Ethnobotany of the Coast Salish Indians of Vancouver Island, Nancy Chapman Turner & Marcus A. M. Bell, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Submitted for publication 9 June 1969.
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