''Actaea spicata'', the baneberry or herb Christopher, is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the genus '' Actaea'', native from

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

to western

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

and northern

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. It is often found on limestone edges and in deciduous woodland; key factors are shade, low competition, and a cool, protected root run.

Description

''Actaea spicata'' is a

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

growing up to tall. The basal leaves are large, biternate or bipinnate. The leaflets are more-or-less toothed. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are white, with 3–6 petaloid sepals, and are produced in an erect raceme. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is a berry, black when ripe and across.

Taxonomy

''Actaea spicata'' was first described by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

in 1753. Two

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

have been recognized: *''Actaea spicata'' var. ''spicata''. Europe, northwestern Asia. *''Actaea spicata'' var. ''acuminata'' (syn. ''A. acuminata''). Pakistan, India and the Himalayas, above 2000 m altitude.

Cultivation

''Actaea spicata'' is cultivated as an ornamental plant. It is toxic by ingestion, and is also an irritant, so requires careful handling. It has been used as a homeopathic remedy for arthritis and joint pain.

References

Flora Europaea: ''Actaea spicata''Nepal Checklist: ''Actaea spicata'' var. ''acuminata''
*
Plants for a Future: ''Actaea spicata''
*Edible and Medicinal plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, {{Taxonbar, from=Q157405 spicata Flora of Eastern Europe Flora of tropical Asia Flora of temperate Asia Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN