Description

Family:
Solanaceae (Potato).

Botanical Name:
Mandragora officianarum.

Synonyms:
Satan's Apple, mandragora, love apple, Circe's plant, Dudaim.

Geographical Location:
Native to Southern Europe, especially around the Mediterranean regions of Greece and Rome. It should not be confused with Podophyllum peltatum, or mayapple, which grows in the United States.

Habitat:
Uncultivated fields and stony wastelands. It can be cultivated in gardens if given a warm situation; it does not survive severe winters.

Botanical Description:
Mandrake has a large brown root (like a parsnip), running 3 to 4 feet into the ground. The root is thick and is frequently forked like two legs. It has a short stem topped by ovate leaves. Its fruit consists of orange-coloured fleshy berries. Another species of mandrake, Mandragora autumnalis, flowers in winter on the island of Rhodes, and has beautiful mauve and mauve-white blossoms. The fruit, the golden red love apples, ripens in May.

Botanical nomenclature:
Mandragora Officinarum, European Mandrake or Attropa Mandragora.

Note:
American Mandrake (Podophyllum Pellatum) is NOT related to the European Mandrake.

mandragora officianarium

Some interesting facts

With a world-wide reputation for magickal powers, this is a long leaved (nearly a foot long, and 6" wide) dark green plant with small greenish-yellow or purple bell-shaped flowers that drow on 3-4" stalks. The flowers eventually fruit into small orange to yellow berries (hence the name Satan's Apples). Mandrake is best known for the large brown root, resembling a carrot that splits about midway into two distinctive branches (looking something like legs). Native to Palestine, and neighboring Arab countries in the Mediterranean, it was long thought to be an aphrodisiac and also had a bad reputation for increasing fertility. Later it was used as a narcotic and as an anaesthetic for crucified criminals. As Satan's Apples it was thought to cause madness.

Mandrake root does fall into the herbal classification of anodyne (like aconite, belladonna, & coca leaves), which contains those herbs which are pain relievers (often narcotic), and does work as a soporific (sleep inducer). It is also an anaesthetic, causing nerve endings to lose sensation, making them less aware of pain. Mandrake is also an emetic, causing the stomach to contract and induce vomiting. When used externally, it can help reduce infections, and also has laxative properties when ingested in a suspension. Mandrake is also known to be helpful in easing rheumatism (primarily due to it's pain-relieving properties). All of these properties can be achieved through careful preparations of the root, but direct ingestion of the raw root itself is to be STRONGLY AVOIDED, as it it toxic and even poisonous.

Mandrake's magickal properties are well-documented, and are related to their herbal ones. Mandrake has been used to invoke various deities (Circe, Diana, Saturn, etc.), and is considered to enhance creativity (remember it is a narcotic). Ingestion of minute prepared portions is reputed to enhance psychic awareness & abilities, and when used properly in magickal spells mandrake is used to increase sexual desire (aphrodisiac).

There is an ancient practice of carving the roots into amulets of protection, love attraction, aura purity, or as a sign of magick (depending on the preparation). The plantary rulers of Mandrake are Uranus, Mercury, and Pluto. A piece of the root immersed in a chalice of water and set in the moonlight each night until the moon becomes full, creates 'Moon Water' (which is used in purification & lunar rituals).

Needless to say, Mandrake also plays a part in several very potent sex-magick rituals.