Tasmannia lanceolata

Mountain pepper

Generally recognised as safe

Other names: Mountain pepper, Tasmanian pepperberry

Tasmanian pepper—mountain "pepperberry" in modern kitchens.

Evergreen shrub with lanceolate leaves and small flowers.

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Plant type: Shrub / small tree

What the safety levels mean (expand legend)

Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.

Mountain pepper — plant habitus (Wikimedia Commons). — Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).
Plant habit

Quick overview

A practical summary; details are in the sections below.

Safety grade: Generally recognised as safe details
Scientific sources on the card: No published records yet
When and what to harvest: Fruit — March–May
Leaf — January–December
Full harvest section
Processing methods: Culinary use, Powder
All methods and recipes on the card
Topics and symptoms: Digestion
Topics section, Symptoms overview

Identification and mix-ups

Dark berries by plant sex; aromatic leaves.

Possible mix-ups and risks

Related Winteraceae by berries.

Similar herbs

Black pepper
They share only the name and use: Tasmanian pepper is the berry of a magnolia-relative containing polygodial, black pepper the fruit of a vine containing piperine. The Tasmanian one is hotter and stains purple.

Topics and symptoms

More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.

Digestion
Culinary· Traditional / cultural framing

Geographic occurrence

Australia
Occasional (garden, cultivation, or fringe of the range)

Harvest

FruitMarch–May
vegetace
Region: Australia
Notes: The black berries are picked from female shrubs in the Australian autumn (March–May) in mountain and Tasmanian forests; they are dried whole. Leaves are harvested all year and dried or ground as a spice.
LeafJanuary–December
celoročně
Region: Australia
Notes: Aromatic leaves all year; dried and ground they are milder than the berries.

Storage

Airtight storage(Fruit)
Whole dried berries keep 2 years in an airtight jar; ground they lose pungency within months.
Light:
Out of light.
Moisture:
Protect from moisture.
Safety:
Label it — several times hotter than black pepper.

Processing methods on this herb card

Culinary use(Fruit)Suitability: High suitability
Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).
Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Seasoning salt with Tasmanian pepper
About 10 minBeginnerScience profile
Open recipe →
Powder(Leaf)Suitability: High suitability
Finely ground dried herb; dosing and solubility depend on species.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Powder increases surface area for liquids or food. Home milling needs a clean grinder and control of fineness; very fine powder may clog tea filters.
Store airtight against moisture and pests.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

Traditional / spiritual use

Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.

The 'native pepper' of Tasmanian settlers
General
Historical mentionFolk useHerbal lore
British settlers of Tasmania in the 19th century used the mountain shrub's berries as a substitute for costly pepper and its leaves in horse and folk medicine, hence the name 'native pepper'; the genus bears the name of the Dutch governor after whom Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) was named. Today it is a flagship ingredient of Australian bushfood cooking. A historical record, not an effect.
Form:
koření kolonistů, bushfood
Claim strength:
Historical mention
Source note:
Colonial history of Tasmania (19th century); the Australian bushfood movement (since the 1980s).

Scientific notes

Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.

How to read evidence strength and study type labels

Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.

Evidence strength

Evidence level not specified: The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
Narrative / orientational literature: Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
Weak evidence: Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
Preliminary findings: First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
Moderate strength of evidence: Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
Stronger evidence: Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
Review article: A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.

Study type

Narrative / expert text: Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
In vitro study: Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
Animal study: Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
Observational study: Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
Clinical trial: Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
Randomised controlled trial: Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
Review study: A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
Systematic review: Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
Meta-analysis: Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…): Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
Expert monograph (herbal preparations): Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.

No published study records yet.

Images

The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.

Safety

What the warning types mean

The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.

Internal use: Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
Interactions / medicines: Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
Raw plant parts: Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
Toxins and regulation: Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
Contact with the plant: Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
Allergy: Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
Harvesting and contamination: Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.

No structured safety records yet.