Wintergreen

Wintergreen is a group of aromatic plants. The term "wintergreen" once commonly referred to plants that remain green (continue photosynthesis) throughout the winter. The term "evergreen" is now more commonly used for this characteristic.

Most species of the shrub genus Gaultheria demonstrate this characteristic and are called wintergreens in North America, the most common generally being the American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). Wintergreens in the genus Gaultheria contain an aromatic compound, methyl salicylate, and are used as a mintlike flavoring.

Uses

Wintergreen berries, from Gaultheria procumbens, are used medicinally. Native Americans brewed a tea from the leaves to alleviate rheumatic symptoms, headache, fever, sore throat, and various aches and pains. These therapeutic effects likely arose because the primary metabolite of methyl salicylate is salicylic acid, a proven NSAID that is also the metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin. During the American Revolution, wintergreen leaves were used as a substitute for tea, which was scarce.

Gaultheria procumbens

Gaultheria procumbens, also called the eastern teaberry, the checkerberry, the boxberry, or the American wintergreen, is a species of Gaultheria native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland west to southeastern Manitoba, and south to Alabama. It is a member of the Ericaceae (heath family).

Growth and habitat

G. procumbens is a small, low-growing shrub, typically reaching 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) tall. The leaves are evergreen, elliptic to ovate, 2–5 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, with a distinct oil of wintergreen scent. The flowers are bell-shaped, 5 mm long, white, borne solitary or in short racemes. The berry-like fruit is actually a dry capsule surrounded by fleshy calyx, 6–9 mm diameter.

The plant is a calcifuge, favoring acidic soil, in pine or hardwood forests, although it generally produces fruit only in sunnier areas. It often grows as part of the heath complex in an oak-heath forest.

G. procumbens spreads by means of long rhizomes, which are within the top 20–30 mm of soil. Because of the shallow nature of the rhizomes, it does not survive most forest fires, but a brief or mild fire may leave rhizomes intact, from which the plant can regrow even if the above-ground shrub was consumed.

Wintergreen (comics)

William Randolph Wintergreen is a fictional character in DC Comics, often depicted as an associate of the supervillain Deathstroke.

Fictional character biography

He was introduced in New Teen Titans #2 (Dec 1980) as the butler of Deathstroke the Terminator. In later issues, and Deathstroke's own title, it was revealed that Wintergreen was a former member of the SAS who rescued Sgt Slade Wilson (the future Deathstroke) from a bomb, who in turn would rescue him from a Viet Cong prison.

Although Wintergreen did not have Deathstroke's abilities, he had more experience and often acted as his mentor. Since Deathstroke was devised as the criminal version of Batman, Wintergreen was his counterpart to Alfred.

When Deathstroke (temporarily) retired, Wintergreen honoured him by running Vigilance Inc., a search-and-rescue operation originally set up as a mercenary organization by Slade's ex-wife, Adeline. He was subsequently killed (and has his head mounted on a wall) when Jericho took over Slade's body and attacked him. Although Jericho was in control of Slade, Wintergreen apparently had believed he would be murdered by Slade eventually, evidenced by his apparent last words of "I suppose it was only a matter of time."