Iceland Moss
Parts Usually Used
The herb
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Iceland moss is a foliaceous lichen; the thallus, or body of the plant, is branched and erect or spreading, reaching a height of 2-3 inches. It varies in color from olive-green to grayish-white and is sometimes flecked with red.
Where Found
Found in cool, damp places in Europe, Great Britain, Iceland, and the northern parts of North America and Asia.
Medicinal Properties
Anti-emetic, demulcent, expectorant, galactagogue, mucilaginous, nutritive, tonic
Biochemical Information
Mucins (mainly lichenin), bitter fumaric acids, some iodine, cetrarin, uncrystalized sugar, gum, green wax with potash and phosphate of lime, about 70% lichen starch, vitamin A
Legends, Myths and Stories
The English common name “Iceland Moss” is botanically incorrect. This plant is not a moss at all, but a lichen, a symbiosis (mutually beneficial relationship) made up of a fungus and an alga. The name has been used as long as the plant has been in medicinal use; since the 17th century. Iceland moss is a tough lichen that grows upon the cold stones, and feeds from the damp air. It offers a valuable food for Icelanders and Greenlanders because of its rich starch content.
Natives boil the lichen in broth or dry it in cakes and use it as bread. A gruel is made by mixing the lichen with milk. An ounce off Iceland moss boiled for 1/4 hour in a pint of milk or water will yield 7 oz. of thick mucilage. Before using Iceland moss, it is generally soaked in cold water for several hours, after which the water is strained off and thrown away. The lichen may be again dried or used at once as desired.
Iceland moss may be taken in powder, syrup or mixed with chocolate. Jelly is made as follows: Boil 4 oz. of the lichen in 1 qt. water; then add the juice of 2 lemons and a bit of rind, with 4 oz. of sugar. Boil up and remove the scum from the surface. Strain the jelly through a muslin bag into a basin and set it aside to become cold. It may be eaten this way, but it is better when eaten warm.
Uses
Historically, herbalists prepared a tea from this plant for respiratory catarrh, influenza, coughs, hoarseness, and bronchitis. Traditional practitioners also administered it for gastroenteritis, dysentery, anemia, and to regulate gastric acid, as well as employing it as a blood tonic. Folk traditions sometimes used the infusion to stimulate lactation. Additionally, the plant was utilized as a food source, traditionally requiring prolonged boiling to render it palatable.
Warning
Use in excessive doses or for prolonged periods can cause gastrointestinal irritation and liver problems. Use for specific symptoms; do not take it for more than 2 weeks at a time.
Bibliography
American Folk Medicine , by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, 1973 The Complete Medicinal Herbal , by Penelope Ody, Dorling Kindersley, Inc, 232 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, First American Edition, copyright 1993 The Healing Plants , by Mannfried Pahlow, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. , Simon & Schuster/Fireside, Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 The Herbalist Almanac , by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1988, fifth printing, 1994 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY.
copyright 1974. The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine , by Dr. A. , 27 Pine Street (Box 876) New Canaan, CT. 06840-0876. Copyright Verlag A. , Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023