SILVERWEED : HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF SILVERWEED

   SILVERWEED, GOOSEGRASS, POTENTILLA ANSERINA

Silverweed or goosegrass is native to Europe including the British Isles, North America and Asia. It is also known by the Latin name, Argentina anserina this name having nothing to do with the country Argentina, but the word comes from the Latin, “argent” which means silver. The leaves are silvery because of the fine hairs on them. It probably gets the name goosegrasss because geese enjoy it, and only sheep turn their noses up at it; other animals seem to relish it.(It should not be confused with Cleavers which is also called goosegrass.)

It grows up to about a metre long and can grow up to a foot high, and creeps along the ground rapidly with its tendrils. The five petalled yellow flowers are pretty and the plant is cultivated for ground cover. It seems that the edible roots of the cultivated plants are thicker than those of the straggly ones from the wild plants, but these have been eaten in times of scarcity and are said to have a nutty flavour, resembling that of parsnips or chestnuts. Silverweed is a member of the Rosaceae family of plant making it a distant relative of plum, peach and apricot trees as well as the rose. The roots can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted and are starchy in texture.

   Its Latin name Potentilla comes from potens meaning powerful and anser meaning goose in Latin. In Europe the whole plant is used medicinally and has been a specific treatment for jaundice. It is also regarded as a good diuretic for dispersing gravel in the organs.

   A strong infusion of the whole herb has been used as a lotion to stop piles bleeding (1 oz to 1 pint of boiling water), while the tisane made from 2 teaspoons of the chopped fresh herb is used with a pint of boiling water and left to steep for 15 minutes before straining and drinking. This is enough liquid to be taken three times in a day. You shouldn’t take it all at once. This is used for jaundice and gravel as well as for stomach cramps for which is it mainly regarded as effective. A poultice of the warmed leaves can also be applied externally to the painful parts of the body as the plant acts as a mild pain-reliever. You can take up to 3 ounces of the fresh herb in one day safely.

  A strong decoction has been used for mouth ulcers, lose teeth, bleeding gums and so on. Native Americans used the roots in a tisane to speed up labour in childbirth and as an antispasmodic for diarrhoea. It is mainly regarded as an astringent herb and good for a tonic.

  In boiled milk or water the fresh herb has been used for tetanus in the past and distilled water from the herb has been used for the skin and sunburn, to relieve redness and to get rid of freckles, pimples and other skin blemishes.

  The ancient physicians of Myddfai recommended it with other herbs for women who could not have children. Here is their remedy for female sterility:

   “ A sterile woman may have a potion prepared for her by means of the following     herbs, viz:—St. John's wort, yew, agrimony, amphibious persicaria, creeping cinque foil, mountain club moss, orpine and pimpernel, taking an emetic in addition.”

  Writing in the 17^th century Nicholas Culpeper had this to say of the herb:-

  “Government and virtues. This is a plant under Venus, and deserves to be much more known in medicine than it is. It is of the nature of tansy. The leaves are mildly astringent: dried, and given in powder, they will frequently effect a cure in agues and intermittents (fevers); the usual dose is a mat-spoonful of the powder every three or four hours betwixt the fits. The roots are more astringent than the leaves, and may be given in powder in doses of a scruple or more in obstinate purgings, attended with bloody stools, and immoderate menstrual discharges. A strong infusion of the leaves sops the immoderate bleeding of the piles; and, sweetened with a little honey, it is an excellent gargle for sore throats.”

ALFALFA - AT PRESENT STICK TO ITS SPROUTS: HEALTH BENEFITS, HISTORY AND USES OF ALFALFA

ALFALFA, MEDICAGO SATIVA

Alfalfa is perhaps best known for the sprouted seeds which can be added to salads and soups, but this member of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae family (pea and bean family) has much to recommend it as long as you don’t suffer from gout or hormone-related cancer and are not pregnant or breast-feeding. It is also called Lucerne or Lucerne grass and has been hailed by some as a wonder supplement, although ingesting large quantities of the leaves may lead to liver problems and it may cause photosensitivity. The plant has a purple flower and is not as obvious as the Butterfly pea to which it is related, and grows to a height of around one metre or three feet and three inches. It is valued for the fact that it can improve the soil, as can lupins, (another relative, as the Pongam tree, indigo, the Monkey Pod tree and carob are), and is primarily grown for animal fodder. The name Medicago is believed to have come from Medea, as the ancients considered it to be from the country of the Medes. It is now thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region and spread from there to the rest of Europe including into the British Isles where it is more or less naturalized.

  In 2010 alfalfa sprouts were thought to be the cause of a salmonella outbreak in the USA when six people were hospitalized after consuming contaminated sprouts, so you have to clean them thoroughly before using, or sprout your own from alfalfa seeds.

  The leaves are primarily used in medicine and can be used fresh or dried. They can be made into a tisane, but it isn’t very pleasant to drink as people who have drunk this say that it tastes a lot like old socks.

  A poultice can be made from the seeds, which need to be heated, and applied to the ear to stop earache, but personally I think eardrops would be better or warm olive oil. The leaves have antioxidant properties and contain vitamin A, some of the B-complex ones such as B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), and B3 (niacin), vitamins C and K. The minerals calcium, iron and phosphorous are also present, with some manganese, sodium and chlorine, along with potent bioflavonoids which contribute to their antioxidant properties. They have a mild pain relieving action and have antibacterial properties, so it is ironic that they caused an outbreak of salmonella. The expressed juice from the leaves has been used to produce vomiting and the tisane is a mild laxative, and diuretic. The root has been used to reduce fevers and is also credited with helping urinary problems which cause highly coloured urine to be produced. The plant is prescribed when people were suffering from weakness while recovering from an illness, and for anaemia, and internal haemorrhages. The plant’s extracts have proved to have neuroprotective properties in vitro in experiments, but it is too early to say that this would apply in humans.

  While it is true that alfalfa has been used in traditional medicine systems around the world for centuries, it is sadly the case that there have been few trials carried out on this plant by people who do not have a vested interest in the sale of this plants seeds, sprouts or extracts. Certainly it is a good source of protein and has been viewed as such by many ancient people - but as animal feed not for humans primarily. However the plant is being genetically engineered so that the saponins-like substances are removed from it, so ultimately making it a better source of protein and vitamins for people. As it is if you cook the leaves and change the water once, then you should not suffer any ill-effects. It has been said that alfalfa is the world’s most foraged for plant, for human consumption, so if it were altered so that it were safer to eat this would be beneficial.

  In the past and it is claimed in the present, the plant has been used to help disperse calculus which gathers around the joints causing inflammation, and the bioflavonoids in the leaves seem to have anti-bacterial properties which can help the digestive system. The oestrogenic properties of the plant mean that it may be helpful in women suffering the symptoms of the menopause and painful or irregular menstruation. The high magnesium and calcium levels present in it are believed to help to relieve migraines, and the tisane has natural laxative and diuretic properties. It is also claimed that it can lower ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in the blood and promote good cholesterol. It is also said to be effective in the removal or dispersal of kidney stones.

  The plant began to be cultivated in Britain in the 16^th century and was used for digestive ailments, and for this purpose it was taken by the early settlers to North America, where the Native Americans used the seeds as a thickening paste to enrich the nutrient content of their dishes. In the 19^th century herbalists in the US used this plant for a number of purposes including to stimulate milk flow in breast-feeding women, although today this group of people are particularly warned against taking alfalfa.

  Probably the best use for alfalfa for humans is to put sprouts in salads and sandwiches as well as in soup.

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EUROPEAN OR COMMON LIME TREE - BUT NO LIMES FROM THIS TREE: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE LIME TREE

EUROPEAN OR COMMON LIME, TILIA EUROPAEA 

Despite its name this tree does not produce limes which come from Citrus aurantifolia species of tree. It does, however produce greeny-yellow flowers which attract bees with their powerful aroma and we have great honey from them. The tree does produce small fruit but these are not eaten although they are edible.

  The flowers and the immature fruit, when ground to a paste form a chocolate substitute, but as the paste decomposes it is not manufactured. If you live near a lime tree you will know that when the flowers fall they leave a sticky mess as they are quickly victims of a fungus. All this is perfectly naturally but slimy and slippery, so walk carefully under lime trees in August. In the UK the flowers blossom in July but in warmer parts of Europe they blossom earlier.

  There are trees of the Tilia genus which have been growing in the British Isles for thousands of years, although they may not be natives, but this genus is a hybrid, crossed between Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos. The lime trees still flourishing in stately avenues in Britain may have been growing since the 17^th century and were imported from the Netherlands. It was the fashion for stately homes to have a walk lined with lime trees in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. These trees can grow to heights of 130 feet (40metres) and may live for up to a thousand years (although there are probably exceptions which have been around for longer).

  A sticky sap exudes from the bark of these trees which has been likened to Biblical manna, and this has been used to make drinks and to make a syrup which is used as a natural sweetener, like honey. Stevia leaves are sweet too of course, but the leaves of the lime tree are not. They can be combined with the flowers and made into a tisane which has been traditionally used to aid digestion and also given in cases of hysteria, when prolonged baths were also advised, with the bath water infused with lime flowers.

  Wood from this tree is good for carving and examples of this can be viewed in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Chatham House and Windsor Castle, all the work of Grinley Gibbons. The wood is white, close-grained and easy to carve, allowing the artist to carve intricate designs in it. It has been used in the past to make parts of musical instruments such as the piano.

  The flowers contain a volatile oil and the leaves exude a sugary substance, and can be used fresh or dried, although fresh is considered best. They are marketed as Linden tea, and the tree is sometimes referred to as the Linden tree, especially in Germany, where “linde” means rope. In the case of this tree it refers to the fact that prior to the invention of synthetic materials, the inner bark of the tree which is very fibrous could be made into matting and it can also be made into beige-coloured paper as well as cloth.

  If you make a tisane with the flowers, make sure that they are young ones, as the older ones seem to have narcotic properties.

  The young leaves and shoots may be eaten raw in salads, and with the flowers have been used in traditional medicine to get rid of the symptoms of colds and flu and as a diaphoretic to promote sweating in fevers. They are also thought to have properties which will prevent the hardening of arteries and lower high blood pressure.

  There have been very few clinical trials on this plant and its virtues, but it appears that parts of the tree may have antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic and sedative properties - the last making it good for hysteria of course.

  

COMMON CLUB MOSS - A MEMBER OF THE FERN FAMILY: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF COMMON CLUB MOSS

COMMON CLUB MOSS, LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM 

Like Irish Moss, which is a sea weed, Common Club Moss is not really a moss but is related to the ferns such as maidenhair and horsetail which it resembles a little. It bears no visual resemblance to the larger common fern, bracken. This common moss grows all over the world and is a common sight in damp woodlands in Britain.

  Prior to the 17^th century the whole plant was used in medicinal preparations, despite its being poisonous. It was used in decoctions to aid digestion and soothe the stomach to get rid of flatulence and was called Muscus terrestris or Muscus clavatum, meaning musk of the earth or musk claw. Lycopodium means wolf’s foot and clavatum, claw. The plant was harvested and dried for medicinal purposes, but it contains lycopodine which is poisonous and paralyses the motor nerves while the substance clavatine also present in the plant is toxic to many mammals; deer, for example do not eat club moss. The decoctions of the plant have been used to help get rid of calculus which builds up around the joints causing inflammation, so it was used for arthritis and rheumatism, as well as gout. It had a reputation for being good for the kidneys.

  In the 17^th century it was harvested and used only for its spores which are not poisonous, and these have been used as talcum powder, to stop things sticking together, as a dusting powder, to dress moulds in iron foundries and the stems of the plant when dried have been woven into matting. The spores are also used in fireworks and to produce the effect of artificial lightning.

  The spores are shaken from the kidney-shaped capsules (sporangia) which are found on the inner sides of the bracts which cover the fruit spike of club moss, and are a yellow powder. They have been used on injuries as they absorb fluids which exude from wounded tissue. They have diuretic qualities and can help in cases of chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. They would also appear to have some antispasmodic actions.

  A decoction of the spores has been used to give relief from the pain of gout, rheumatism and arthritis, and for urinary tract disorders and kidney problems. Used externally a decoction can help with skin problems and can stop itching. It is said that if the spores are snuffed up the nose they will stem a nosebleed.

  This plant is a very common one, but tricky to harvest so best left to grow in the wild, unless you absolutely know what you are doing.

GOLDENSEAL - NATIVE AMERICANS USED IT FOR SKIN PROBLEMS, HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOLDENSEAL

GOLDENSEAL, HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS 

When the early settlers reached the North American continent they found that the Native American tribes used goldenseal for skin diseases and for cancerous growths. They adopted the use of the goldenseal root, which they could harvest in autumn after the plant had died back and could dry it for later use. Goldenseal is a member of the buttercup or crowfoot family, Ranunculaceae, so it is a relative of the lesser celandine and black cohosh. It has been used for liver problems, and when applied in a poultice or you can simply mash the root, it has been effective in acting as an antiseptic for cuts as it has antimicrobial and anti-bacterial properties. The Cherokees used it as a cancer treatment and for an eye wash. The name Hydrastis comes from the Greek meaning to accomplish and water, so this could be because of this use,

  By the early twentieth century the little plant was considered a cure-all and used against colds and flu, as it is now, especially when combined with Echinacea. It is actually now one of the most popular herbs in the US, although this may have something to do with the unfounded rumour that it can mask a positive result on a drug test for illegal drugs. Studies have found that it actually has no effect on the results.

  There is actually no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of this herb, although it does contain berberine, it is not absorbed as well in the body as that found in other herbs. Berberine has been shown to kill bacteria in vitro (in test tubes not in animals) and to be effective against some yeast infections in the urinary tract such as candida. It may stimulate the action of white blood cells to combat infection and so may strengthen the immune system.

  In the traditional Chinese medicine system it has been used for malaria and heart failure, but tests have not substantiated this use.

  An infusion of the root may help to eliminate toxins and salt from the kidneys and liver, but the downside is that it could raise blood pressure so is not recommended for use if you already have high blood pressure or heart problems. Also avoid giving goldenseal to children and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, don’t use it.

  When its popularity grew in the late 1990s the little plant became at risk of being endangered and is on the list of the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) as an endangered species due to its over-harvesting.

  Goldenseal was introduced to the UK in 1760 where it became used for catarrh, the root being dried and ground to a powder for snuff to clear the nasal passages and also for its decongestant properties for bronchial catarrh. It was also used as a digestive aid and to regulate a woman’s periods.

  The Native Americans primarily used it for skin problems and it has a reputation for being good as a skin wash being credited with stopping pitting after chicken pox and smallpox. They also used the yellow juice from the root as a dye for clothes, body paint and to colour weapons.

  As it is considered an endangered species, don’t rush off and try to harvest the root!

FUMITORY - A "RANK" WEED ACCORDING TO SHAKESPEARE: HISTORY,USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF FUMITORY

FUMITORY, FUMARIA OFFICINALIS  

There are many types of fumitory, but here we deal with the one which is used in medicine Fumaria officinalis. It gets its English name from the Latin (and French) fume-terre, or earth-smoke. It actually looks smoky, with its grey-green leaves and legend has it that it grew, not from seed but from vapours that came from the ground (as with hot springs for example). Pliny begs to differ, however, and writes that it was so named because the plant’s juice brings tears to the eyes as though one were looking through smoke, and so it was used for eye problems in Roman times. Ancient shamans used the smoke from burning fumitory to exorcise evil spirits. It can also be used to curdle soybean milk with a few sprays of the herb put into each litre so that when it has curdled it does not taste rancid.

  The plant is in the Fumariaceae family and fumitory of one kind or another grows in most parts of the world including Iran and South Africa. This one is also native to Britain. It is also known as Beggary, Nidor and Vapour, and John Gerard, writing in the 16^th century said that the distilled water of fumitory “conduceth much against the plague and pestilence, being taken with good treacle.”

  In the 14^th century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about it in his “Canterbury Tales” and in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale it is listed as a laxative:-

   “…ere ye take your laxatives

   Of lauriol, century, and fumitory,

   Or elles of elder bery that growith thereby,

   Of catapus or of dogwood berrys,

    Of yvy in our yard, that mery is:”

Dioscorides writing in the first century AD believed that it was good for cleansing the blood and as a tonic, but as we can see from Chaucer and later writers, it was used with an infusion of senna as a laxative.

  Shakespeare makes mention of fumitory too, and classifies it as a “rank” weed, as we can see from Cordelia’s speech in “King Lear” Act IV scene 4 when she is talking about her mad father, the king, describing him in these words: -

  “As mad as the vexed sea, singing aloud,

    Crown’d with rank Fumiter and Furrow-weed,

    With burdocks, nettles, cuckoo-flowers

    Darnel and all the idle weeds that grow

    In our sustaining corn.”

  Furrow weeds were any type of weed that grew in ploughed land and darnel were also any type of weed, although these may have been thistle-types. Clearly Shakespeare didn’t think much of fumitory as in Henry V he once again classifies it as “rank” in Act V scene 2 :-

  “Her fallow leas

    The Darnel, Hemlock and rank Fumitory

    Doth root upon.”

Interestingly, Nicholas Culpeper in his Herbal wrote that it can banish Melancholy but warns against taking the pills in large doses over a period of time. He quotes Ibn Sina or Avicenna thus: -

“Pills of Fumitory: Take of myrobalans, citrons, chebs and Indian Diagrydium of each 5 drams; Aloes 7 drams; let all of them be bruised, be thrice moistened with the juice of Fumitory and thrice suffered to dry, then brought into a mass with a syrup of Fumitory.” Culpeper adds “It purges Melancholy. Be not too busy with it I beseech you.”

  He writes that fumitory has cooling properties along with strawberry leaves, wood sorrel, teazles and houseleeks among other plants for the head, and writes that it is “Cold in the second degree” as are plantain, chicory (Succory), and strawberry leaves and also states that it is good for the spleen. He suggested it be mixed with vinegar and docks and used as a wash for skin problems such as sores, scabs and pimples. (The old herbalists believed that fumitory could help with all skin problems including leprous sores.)

  Fumitory flowers in summer and a yellow dye can be obtained from the flowering tops. These are also the parts used in medicines as well as the seeds of this plant. One old (and rather expensive remedy these days) is to macerate 2 ounces of the flowers and tops in 2 pints (the expensive part) of Madeira and this was to be taken twice a day for dyspepsia. The dose was 2 to 4 fluid ounces.

  Fumitory flowering tops may be gathered in summer and dried for later use as they are thought to be especially useful for obstructions in the liver, kidneys, gall bladder and spleen. In Germany it is approved for “colicky pain affecting the gallbladder and biliary system, together with the gastrointestinal tract.” However it is said to have a hypnotic and sedative effect and should not be used for a period of longer than eight days. Fumitory is diuretic and a digestive, and slightly diaphoretic, meaning that it can promote sweating. It is also used for a tonic as it contains vitamins which help to boost the immune system.

  However caution should be taken with this herb because one can have too much of it for comfort.

SOLOMON'S SEAL - GOOD FOR "BOTH MAN AND BEAST": HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOLOMON'S SEAL

SOLOMON’S SEAL, POLYGONATUM ODORATUM, P. OFFICINALE

Solomon’s Seal is so called because of the marks or scars left on the rhizome when the stem has died back. Solomon’s seal was a ring given to the King who was reputed to be very wise by God or Allah. It symbolized human wisdom or super-wisdom as Solomon was thought to have and God’s grace.

  The plant is related to the lily-of-the-valley, and it certainly looks like a larger version of this, but it can have either white of creamy-yellow flowers. It is a member of the Liliaceae or lily family of plants so is related to the Arum lily too.

  It has been used in traditional medicine to help knit bones together when taken internally either in an infusion or a decoction, and the parts used are the rhizomes. The rest of the adult plant is poisonous, although the young shoots may be eaten in spring like asparagus. The pounded fresh root has been used to reduce the discolouration of bruising as John Gerard, the 16^th century English herbalist points out.

“The roots of Solomon's Seal, stamped while it is fresh and greene and applied, taketh away in one night or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or blew spots gotten by fals or women's wilfulness in stumbling upin their hastie husband's fists, or such like.”

He goes on to add:

“As touching the knitting of bones and that truly which might be written, there is not another herb to be found comparable to it for the purposes aforesaid; and therefore in briefe, if it be for bruises inward, the roots must be stamped, some ale or wine put thereto and strained and given to drinke . . . as well unto themselves as to their cattle,' it being applied 'outwardly in the manner of a pultis' for external bruises.”

Nicholas Culpeper writing in the 17^th century concurs with Gerard and adds some information of his own.

“Government and virtues. Saturn owns the plant, for he loves his bones well. The root of Solomon's Seal is found by experience to be available in wounds, hurts, and outward sores, to heal and close up the lips of those that are green, and to dry up and restrain the flux of humours to those that are old. It is singularly good to stay vomitings and bleeding wheresoever, as also all fluxes in man or woman; also, to knit any joint, which by weakness uses to be often out of place, or will not stay in long when it is set; also to knit and join broken bones in any part of the body, the roots being bruised and applied to the places; yea, it hath been found by experience, and the decoction of the root in wine, or the bruised root put into wine or other drink, and after a night's infusion, strained forth hard and drank, hath helped both man and beast, whose bones hath been broken by any occasion, which is the most assured refuge of help to people of divers counties of the land that they can have. It is no less effectual to help ruptures and burstings, the decoction in wine, or the powder in broth or drink, being inwardly taken, and outwardly applied to the place. The same is also available for inward or outward bruises, falls or blows, both to dispel the congealed blood, and to take away both the pains and the black and blue marks that abide after the hurt. The same also, or the distilled water of the whole plant, used to the face, or other parts of the skin, cleanses it from morphew, freckles, spots, or marks whatsoever, leaving the place fresh, fair, and lovely; for which purpose it is much used by the Italian Dames.”

  As a tisane it is used for stomach disorders and for menstrual cramps and other ‘female problems.’ It has been used in this way by Native Americans for centuries. In recommending this herb for pimples and freckles, these old herbalists were echoing Galen (circa AD 130-200), so this wisdom goes back to ancient times.

  The roots should be dug up in autumn when the above parts of the plant are dying and the berries are ripe. (These are very poisonous.)

   Clinical trials have been carried out, but very few, however some seem to show that the plant may be helpful in treating both diabetes and cancer, although the trials have only so far been conducted on animals in the lab.

  Solomon’s seal is also known as Lady’s Seal and the old herbalists called it Sigillum Sanctae Mariae or Saint Mary’s Seal. There are several Latin names for different plants which all go under the general name of Solomon’s seal, Polygonatum multiflorum, P biflorum, P. giganteum, P.canaliculatum, P. commutatum are among these names. Polygonatum means many-angled and refers to the root system of the plant.

  A tisane is made with one ounce of the chopped root to one pint of boiling water. Allow this to steep for 15 minutes and drink it for stomach cramps. It is also supposed to be good for the kidneys and was given for TB. The flowers and roots were used in love potions in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This is not recommended these days, however, try dark chocolate instead!

LUPINS HAVE SO MANY POSSIBILITIES: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF LUPINS

LUPINS, LUPINUS GENUS

Lupins, like hollyhocks can be found in many quintessential English gardens. It is believed that the white lupin, Lupinus albus originated in Greece, and spread from there to ancient Egypt and Rome. Whatever the case, lupins, or lupines as they are spelled in American English, have been cultivated around the world for between 3 and 4 thousand years, both for animal fodder and human food. They usually grow to heights of 2 to 3 feet but can grow up to 6 feet tall. They belong to the Fabaceae or Leguminoceae family of plants so are related to the green bean, pea, indigo, the pongam tree and the Monkey Pod tree, carob and the Butterfly pea, to name but a few.

  The word lupin comes from the Latin meaning wolf (lupus) as it was believed that the lupins stole fertile land which could have been used for other crops just as a wolf stole sheep from a shepherd. We now know that they are nitrogen fixers and actually increase the fertility of poor soil. Frederick the Great of Prussia seemed aware of this fact when, in 1781 he took large quantities of lupins from the Mediterranean and transplanted them in northern Germany to improve the fertility of the soil. By the 1860s there were lupins along the Baltic coastal plains and the soil was much improved.

  The Germans have been proponents of the lupin for centuries and in 1917 a German scientist, Doctor Thomas held a Lupin Fest or banquet in Hamburg for those with an interest in botany. The feast consisted of Lupin soup, Lupin beefsteak cooked in lupin oil and seasoned with extract of lupin, with bread made from 20 % lupin flour, lupin margarine to put on the bread, lupin cheese made from lupin albumen and all this was washed down after the meal with a lupin liqueur, and lupin coffee. If someone who attended the feast felt like writing a letter, then there was paper and envelopes (with lupin adhesive) made from the fibre of lupin stems and the whole meal was served on a tablecloth which- you’ve guessed it- was made of lupin fibres. They could also wash their hands after the meal with lupin soap.                                                                                      

  After such a tour de force interest was renewed in the lupin’s possibilities, and a less bitter type of lupin was developed for human consumption during the 1920s.

  On 3^rd January, 2011, it was reported in news.softpedia that a German scientist, Dr. Peter Eisner of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising, Germany, had suggested that the lupin could be the answer to both the health of the environment and the Earth’s population, as it contained protein which was gluten-free and also lactose free so could be used in the preparation of ice-cream and cheese. He went even further when he pointed out that the protein content of lupin seeds or beans could be put to use as a meat substitute in the German wűrst (sausage). This would provide a low-fat cholesterol free sausage as the lupin bean or seed is full of healthy polyunsaturated fats and a source of Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

  Writing in his Natural History in the first century BC Pliny the Elder wrote: - “No kind of food is more wholesome and light in digestion than the White lupin, (Lupinus albus) when eaten dry. If taken commonly at meals, it will contribute a fresh colour and a cheerful countenance.” Lupin seeds were sold on street corners in ancient Rome as snacks with sunflower seeds. They were also used as props in Roman tragedies and comedies, substituting for money, so were known as a mere trifle. This use was also known in Mediaeval England as they were, according to Dr. Fernie, writing in his Herbal Simples in 1897 called “tristis lupinus” meaning the sad lupins by Virgil. That being said this epithet attached to them by Virgil, probably had nothing to do with them being regarded as no money at all, but was more likely to have been a reference to the fact that in ancient Greece pilgrims visiting the Oracle of the Dead on the banks of the river Acheron ate copious amounts of lupin seeds as it was believed that they would facilitate communication with the departed whom they wished to contact. In the ancient world, lupins were thought to aid communication with spirits in the afterlife.                                            

  It has been found that lupin seeds provide one of the best sources of the amino acid, arginine, which is believed to help the health of blood vessels and to reduce high blood pressure. It should therefore help men with erectile dysfunctions. They are a useful source of β-carotene as their colour asserts. They have antioxidant properties too and so are under scrutiny by scientists.

  In the Mediterranean areas of Italy, Greece and Portugal, you can buy lupin seeds which have been pickled in brine like capers and olives, and these may be added to breakfast cereals for extra vitamins, minerals and protein. In the Andes, lupin flour is mixed with fresh papaya juice while in Australia and beans are sprouted like alfalfa and mung beans to produce bean sprouts.

  Lupin flour is gluten free and can be used in cooking and baking as it is in the med. It may be used to thicken sauces and soups and stews, or used as a face pack to rejuvenate tired skin. The seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute which is probably preferable to dandelion coffee, and you can also make them into a poultice (bruise and crack them) for ulcers. Taken internally the seeds have diuretic properties and have been used in traditional medicine systems to regulate a woman’s periods. They can also help regulate blood sugar levels and have a reputation for being able to rid the body of internal worms.

  Seeds from an Arctic lupin species (Lupinus articus) found in lemming burrows in the Yukon, Alaska, were dated to around 10,000 years old and were successfully germinated. They are not the oldest seeds to have done so, though as this record is held by the lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera) which germinated after lying dormant for 13,000 years.

  If you use lupin seeds fresh and pick them yourself you should soak them in several changes of water before using them in any way as they contain some toxic alkaloids and tannins which could react badly in the body. Leaching the beans and discarding the water will help. However, the pickled beans are cheap and delicious too. Roasted they can be combined with melon and watermelon seeds for a healthy snack.

MOONWORT, ONE OF THE FERNS: HISTORY, SUPERSTITIONS AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF MOONWORT

MOONWORT, BOTYRCHIUM LUNARIA

Moonwort or common moonwort is a fern which grows throughout Europe, North and South America, parts of Asia and Australia. Botyrchium lunaria is sometimes called the common moonwort to distinguish it from others in the same family of Botrychiaceae, in the order of the Ophioglossales or adder’s tongue order of plants.

 Moonwort has long been a plant associated with magic and it is said that witches used to gather it by moonlight (preferably during the full moon) and use it in their spells and during incantations. Superstition has it (in the UK and as mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper) that it could unlock locks and unshoe horses which trod on it unwittingly. This is what Culpeper has to say abut this tiny fern, which grows to a staggering 3 inches high, which is why it is so difficult to spot in long grass.                                                               

spores of moonwort

“Government and virtues. The Moon owns the herb. Moonwort is cold and drying more than adder's tongue, and is therefore held to be more available for all wounds both inward and outward. The leaves boiled in red wine, and drank, stay the immoderate flux of women's courses, and the whites. It also stays bleeding, vomiting, and other fluxes. It helps all blows and bruises, and to consolidate all fractures and dislocations. It is good for ruptures, but is chiefly used, by most with other herbs, to make oils or balsams to heal fresh or green wounds (as I said before) either inward or outward, for which it is excellently good.

Moonwort is a herb which (they say) will open locks, and unshoe such horses as tread upon it. This some laugh to scorn, and those no small fools neither; but country people, that I know, call it Unshoe the Horse. Besides I have heard commanders say, that on White Down in Devonshire, near Tiverton, there were found thirty horse shoes, pulled off from the feet of the Earl of Essex's horses, being there drawn up in a body, many of them being but newly shod, and no reason known, which caused much admiration: the herb described usually grows upon heaths.”

  In some states in North America, moonwort is an endangered species, particularly in New England, where it is on the critically endangered list in the state of Maine. It has the distinction of being the only moonwort which grows in Britain where as Culpeper reports (writing in the 17^th century) it was mainly used as a vulnerary or wound healer. John Parkinson (1567-1650), who was herbalist to King Charles I of Britain, says that the plant was used by alchemists who sought to change base materials into gold.   

  Because it is so small it is difficult to spot, but it has spores, which look a little like flowers, between the months of June and August, when you are more likely to detect it. It doesn’t have fronds like the maidenhair fern or bracken, but nevertheless it is a small fern.