CARIBBEAN SPIDER LILY ( HYMENOCALLIS CARIBAEA) - INFORMATION

CARIBBEAN SPIDER LILY, HYMENOCALLIS CARIBAEA

The Caribbean Spider Lily or White Amaryllis belongs to the lily family and more specifically to the Amaryllidaceas. It gets its name from the long tendrils that grow from the flowers and it is a beautiful plant. It is native to the West Indies as its name suggests, and is grown as an ornamental plant in many countries. However if you visit Anguilla, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands you might come across these flowers.

   The plants in the Amaryllidacea family grow from bulbs (you might have grown an amaryllis lily in water) and these bulbs and those of the Narcissus family of plants (which include the daffodil) have been shown to have alkaloids in them which may help kill tumours. Among these alkaloids are lycorine and narciclasine which may in the future be the basis for anti-cancer drugs. Galanthamine is also present in both types of plants (and the snowdrop) and this has been shown to reduce blood pressure in lab mice.

  In folk medicine these plants have been used to treat tumours, as far back as the time of Hippocrates (BC 460-370) who prescribed pessaries of narcissus oil for the treatment of uterine tumours. This was also recommended by Dioscorides in the first century AD and Pliny the Elder (AD 23 – 79) also mentions that Narcissus poeticus was used for such treatments.

  Some extracts from the Amaryllidaceas have been found to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties in lab tests in vitro and research is ongoing into the properties of these plants.

  It is estimated that only 15 % of the world’s plants have been screened for their potential use in medicine, and bulbous plants such as the Caribbean Spider Lily have not received as much attention as have herbs and trees. Now that plants that grow from bulbs have been proved to have unique biological compounds, more research will be carried out on them to assess their potential therapeutic value.

BLACK BRYONY( TAMUS COMMUNIS) - NO LONGER RECOMMENDED FOR MEDICINAL USE

BLACK BRYONY, TAMUS COMMUNIS

Black Bryony is related to the yam as it is in the Dioscorea family of plants along with Dioscorea deltoides, and is the only one of the species that grows in most parts of Britain. It is native to northern European countries although its relatives also grow around the Mediterranean. It has tuberous roots and is a climbing vine plant and the young shoots can start their convolutions after 2½ to 3 hours of sprouting. It is a very fast growing plant and in November 2008 the popular UK tabloid newspaper “The Daily Mail” reported that it was the plant that was increasing in numbers quicker than any other native wild plant, along with ivy which was in third position. Unfortunately this is at the expense of other plants such as the wild strawberry and the harebell which grow closer to the ground. These climbers take over from the lower plants and deprive them of sunlight and root space. Unfortunately those who own land are not managing hedgerows and fields as well as they did in the past because of the expense involved, so there are concerns about Britain’s wild fauna.

   The name Bryony comes from the Greek bryo which means shoot or sprout, presumably referring to the fast-growing nature of the young shoots. Pliny referred to this plant as Uva Tamina it is thought, hence the botanical name Tamus, and it is called communis because it is wide spread. Pliny says that it was eaten like asparagus and used as a diuretic and for the spleen. In Italy, especially in Tuscany, the young shoots are still boiled and eaten like asparagus and the Greeks also use a Bryony variety in the same way (Tamus cretica).

    Black Bryony is also called Black Bindweed, because of the way it clings to a support and climbs, and Our Lady’s Seal, because its roots were pounded to a pulp and used to heal scars and bruises (this is because of the saponins contained in the roots). Another name for this plant is Oxberry as farmers used to give it to cows to improve their chances of conceiving. There was once a commonly-held belief that snakes lurked close to Black Bryony, and so it got the name Serpent’s Meat It could be that this was in reference to its climbing nature rather than the fact that snakes did like it.

   Black Bryony is a poisonous plant and an irritant which has been employed to relieve the pain of rheumatism, gout and paralysis with the scraped pulp from the plant applied to the painful areas. The berries have emetic properties and produce vomiting so children should avoid eating them. They are bright red and attractive to both birds and children, although they tend to propagate around the parent plant when they fall.

   The expressed juice from the root used to be taken in wine to dispel gravel and stones from the organs, and it is also a diuretic, but is no longer used because it is too powerful and other plants are much more useful as diuretics (mooli for example or broom tisane). The juice was mixed with honey and given to asthma sufferers but once again this is no longer recommended as there are much safer remedies. Try a mullein ‘cigarette’ instead.

At one time the berries would be steeped in gin for a long period and then the spirit would be applied to chilblains that had not broken. However this would be a terrible waste of gin!

  Black Bryony is actually not recommended for use today, but it is worth writing about it for interest’s sake, and to see how modern medical research has invalidated traditional remedies that were probably dubious.

  

COLTSFOOT (TUSSILAGO FARFARA): MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF COLTSFOOT: HOW TO MAKE COLTSFOOT SYRUP

COLTSFOOT, TUSSILAGO FARFARA

Coltsfoot looks a little like a dandelion to which it is related, but it has a smaller flower head. The flower comes before the leaves as does that of the butterbur, and this gave it the name “Filius ante patrem” in Mediaeval Latin, which means Son before father. In fact the herbalist Gerard calls the plant by two names in his illustrations of the late 16^th century, Tussilago flores and Tussilago sans flores or with and without flowers. Pliny made the mistake of thinking that the flower and leaves were of two separate plants, although the young sprouts of leaves appear as the flower dies back.

  Coltsfoot is native to Britain and Europe and has become naturalized in North America and grows in temperate regions of Asia.

  Tussis in Latin means cough, so the name gives the usual use of coltsfoot. In Britain it was also known as Coughwort or cough plant. It was used for centuries to cure coughs, and was approved by the German Commission E for coughs and catarrh, although it was subsequently banned because of the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids which include senkirkine and senecionine which can damage the liver and cause cancer. Rats fed on coltsfoot in the lab developed cancerous tumours of the live and this was cause by those alkaloids which are also present in comfrey root which is why both herbs have been banned for use in Canada. However it is thought that only prolonged use of coltsfoot is dangerous, but it is better to be safe than sorry as the old adage goes.

  Coltsfoot syrup was traditionally given for coughs and bronchial ailments, and the herb was mixed with liquorice root, thyme and black cherry in some syrups. The leaves and stems have been used in these syrups although in China traditional herbalists more commonly used the flowers.

  Apart from the toxic alkaloids the plant also contains bioflavonoids, vitamin C, zinc and tannins. It was used in British Herbal Tobacco along with lavender, chamomile flowers, rosemary, thyme Buckbean, Eye Bright and betony, and used to stop asthma spasms and those caused by bronchial problems that linger.

Coltsfoot leaves

  Culpeper recommended the juice from the leaves for coughs and also wrote,” The distilled water hereof, simply, or mixed with elder flowers or nightshade is a singularly good remedy against all agues (fevers), to drink 2 Oz at a time and apply cloths wet therein to the head and stomach, which also does much good.”

  The tisane was made with 1½ tsps of the chopped leaves to a cup of boiling water then allowed to steep for 10-20 minutes, strained and drunk. Coltsfoot wine was also made with the flowers but it has an unusual fragrance and is not as delicate as primrose wine.

  Although coltsfoot has been used for centuries, as there are other herbs to use instead of it for coughs and bronchial problems, it is best to avoid it. You could probably smoke it and not suffer any ill effects, but catnip might be a better bet for asthma sufferers. Elder flowers would be better for respiratory disorders too.

COLTSFOOT SYRUP

Ingredients

30 gr coltsfoot leaves

10 gr marshmallow root

25 gr balsam shoots

25 gr ground ivy

10 gr liquorice root

1 lt water

1 kg natural honey

Method

Put all the ingredients in a pan and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and add the honey. Gently melt, simmering over a low heat for 20 minutes. Cool before bottling. Store in refrigerator. Use within 3 months.
This has Taste and is a Treat(ment) but beware!

CAT'S WHISKERS- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF CAT'S WHISKERS: HOW TO MAKE DECOCTION OF CAT'S WHISKERS AND TISANE RECIPE

CAT’S WHISKERS, KIDNEY PLANT, ORTHOSIPHON ARISTATUS

Cat’s Whisker’s clearly gets its name from the hairs that protrude from the flowers, which look like cat’s whiskers. It is a beautiful plant that is native to South-East Asia and Australia. It has been introduced to Fiji and Samoa and is now classed as an invasive species there, as so often happens with non-native plants. It’s a member of the mint family of plants, and has long been used in South-East Asia for its medicinal properties. As the name Kidney plant might suggest it is predominantly used for kidney diseases, and the tisane made from the leaves of the plant (Java Tea) can effectively disperse kidney stones of up to 5 centimetres, research has shown. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and research suggests that it also useful for reducing high blood pressure and has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, although more research needs to be done to ascertain what it is effective against.

  The tisane reduces the amounts of uric acid in the body by flushing them out with its diuretic action, and this makes it useful for gout and arthritis sufferers. It contains bioflavonoids and methylripariochromene A in the leaves which is believed to be the substances that acts to reduce blood pressure. It also contains ursolic acid and oleanolic acid among other constituents. It is also rich in the mineral potassium.

   Traditionally it has been used to reduce cellulite, and as an antispasmodic, as well as for the internal organs. It can reduce blood sugar levels and there is hope that it will be useful for diabetics who do not depend on insulin.

 The plant grows to between 1 and 3 feet tall and the flowers are mostly white, although they can be light blue, light purple, violet and ivory. Below are two recipes which are considered beneficial; the first is a decoction for kidney problems while the second is a tisane for coughs.

DECOCTION OF CAT’S WHISKERS

Ingredients

1 lt water

15-20 fresh cat’s whisker leaves

2 inch fresh turmeric root, finely sliced

7 cloves garlic chopped

Method

Bring to the boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has reduced by half.

Strain and drink a cupful morning and night.

CAT’S WHISKER TISANE

Ingredients

15-20 fresh leaves

2 cups boiling water

Method

Pour the boiling water over the leaves and allow them to steep for 20 minutes.

Strain and drink a cupful in the morning and at night. (For coughs.)

These have Taste and are a Treat(ment).