Latin name: Tamus communis
Common name: Black bryony
Other names: Devil’s cherry, lady’s seal, mandrake, murraim berries, oxberry
How to spot it and where to find it: This climber of woodland edges and hedgerows has heart-shaped, glossy leaves, whose vines form a net pattern. It prefers well-drained soil over chalk, limestone or clay. In summer it produces yellow-green flowers and shiny red berries in autumn and winter.
Interesting facts: Despite its common name, Tamus communis is not related to white bryony (Native Britain, 26 December 2018), and is our only member of the yam family. It isn’t good to eat, though, as the whole plant is highly poisonous. It contains saponins, which can be toxic to some creatures, but it’s the calcium oxalate crystals in black bryony that will make…
