Oak Moss
Evernia prunastri
Family: Usneaceae
Names: mousse de Chéne,
treemoss
Description: Lichen with
soft, pendent, antler-shaped branches that are
gray-green above and have white, cottony
undersurfaces. Pink-brown, spore-producing discs are
rare. Height and spread 2 ½ inches. Hardy zones
4-10
Cultivation: Wild-collected. It is extremely
slow-growing. Grows mainly trunks of deciduous
trees, occasionally on spruces. Also on fences,
walls, rocks and soil. The ecology and reproductive
biology of lichens are complex and there are no
known propagation experiments. Plants are damaged
by sulfur levels above 0.021 p.p.m. Plants are
collected in dry winter weather for oil extraction.
Approximately 9,000 tons are collected annually,
mainly from cork oak and fruit trees, France, the
Balkan countries, and Morocco are the main
producers. The volatile oils found in the plant are
extracted in benzene and evaporated to a viscous
solid.
History: It was imported
from Greece and Cyprus to Egypt for packing embalmed
mummies. Centuries later, in Europe, it was in
great demand for powdering wigs and was described in
the Compenium Aromatorium by Saladin of Askalon
(1137-93)
Properties: an aromatic,
antibiotic herb containing lichen acids that inhibit
the tuberculosis bacillus.
Constituents: Depsides
(open-ring lichenic acids like evernic acid),
dibenzofurans (usnic acid), volatile oil with orcin
derivatives, also thujone, borneol, 1,8-cineole,
geraniol, vanillin), polysaccharides, resin, wax.
Aromatherapy Uses:
Extraction: a range of products is produced: a
concrete and an absolute by solvent extraction from
the lichen that has often been soaked in lukewarm
water prior to extraction; an absolute oil by vacuum
distillation of the concrete; resins and resinoids
by alcohol extraction of the raw material.
Characteristics: The
absolute is a dark green or brown, very viscous
liquid with an extremely tenacious, earthy-mossy
odor and a leather-like undertone. The absolute oil
is a pale yellow or olive viscous liquid with a
dry-earthy, bark-like odor, quite true to nature.
The concrete, resin and resinoids are very
dark-colored semi-solid or solid masses with a
heavy, rich-earthy, extremely tenacious odor. They
have a high fixative value. They are extensively
used in perfumery to lend body and rich natural
undertones to all perfume types.
Blends well with: all
other oils
Actions: antiseptic,
demulcent, expectorant, fixative
Constituents: crystalline
matter of so-called lichen acids: mainly evernic
acid, d-usnic acid, some atranorine and
chloratronorine
Uses: a fixative. The
concrete is used primarily in soaps;
Chiefly used as a
fixative in perfumery. It is also used for the
industrial isolation of usnic acid and evernic acid,
both phenolic compounds with antibacterial effect.
They are incorporated in combination products used
chiefly externally for inflammations of the mucous
membranes and the skin, but also internally for
inflammations of the upper respiratory and
gastrointestinal tracts.
References:
Herbal Vade Mecum, Gazmend Skinderi, Herbacy
Press, 2003; ISBN: 0-9713209-2-6
Herb Growing & Marketing Network
PO Box 245
Silver Spring, PA 17575
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