FICUS NOTA, TIBIG: USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF FICUS NOTA

TIBIG, WILD PHILIPPINO FIG TREE, FICUS NOTA 

Tibig is the name of this tree in the Philippines, to which it is native; it is also a native of Borneo. It has been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands where it has been cultivated, but it is now seen as an invasive species on some islands. In the Philippines Tibig trees are being planted so that they do not become threatened.

  Tibig is a member of the Ficus genus making it a close relation of the European fig, the tropical fig (Ficus septica), and of course the wild Punjabi fig. It is also related to the peepal tree and the bohar or banyan.As a member of the Moraceae family of plants it is related more distantly to the mulberry and Shahtoot mulberry, the toothbrush or sandpaper tree and to jackfruit.                                                                             

  It is a useful tree as it can be used as hedging as a living fence and because it is a fast-growing evergreen, it is a useful nurse tree for saplings. This tree can grow to 20 metres tall in its native habitat, although they usually grow to around half this size, and is a pioneer species used for reforestation.

  The fruit grows on short stems from the branches and stem of the tree, and is edible, although reportedly the figs are eaten with sugar. The tree is used for firewood and for making charcoal and is also used medicinally in the Philippines. Its white flowers are very small and hard to see.

  When the stem or trunk is cut watery sap exudes from it which is potable, and this is drunk three times a day for fevers, or applied to relieve muscle pains. It would seem that the fruit is not used medicinally, although, no doubt it has laxative properties as do other figs.

THREE OF THE MEADOW RUES: THALICTRUM FLAVUM, T. AQUILEGIFOLIUM AND T.MINUS: INFORMATION

small meadow rue

SMALL MEADOW RUE, GREATER MEADOW RUE AND YELLOW OR COMMON MEADOW RUE

The three meadow rues which are native to the British Isles are Thalictrum flavum, Common meadow rue, or Yellow meadow rue, Thalictrum aquilegifolium, Columbine or Greater meadow rue and Thalictrum minus the small meadow rue. They are not related to the herb rue which is a member of the Rutaceae family, but these are in the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family which makes them relatives of the lesser celandine, stinking hellebore, the Christmas rose, wood anemone, stavesacre, wolfsbane, monkshood, goldenseal and black cohosh.

small meadow rue

   Thalictrum minus is native to Europe, south west Asia and parts of north west Africa and South Africa. Unlike the other two meadow rues it has yellow, plum-brown flowers, rather like the figwort in colour and its foliage is similar to the Maidenhair fern.                                        

   The young leaves of this meadow rue can be cooked and eaten like spinach, although some of the Ranunculaceae family members have some toxicity so caution is recommended. Some research has been done on this plant and some new alkaloids and other compounds have been discovered in it. An infusion of the leaves or a decoction of the root has been used in traditional medicine in the past to help reduce fevers

common meadow rue

  The Common meadow rue has tufty yellow flowers and tends to grow in moist places, such as water meadows, fens and ditches. This is Thalictrum flavum which can grow to over a metre high. It is this one that Nicholas Culpeper the English herbalist who wrote his Herball in the 17^th century mentions thus:-

“Government and virtues. Dioscorides saith, That this herb bruised and applied, perfectly heals old sores, and the distilled water of the herb and flowers doth the like. It is used by some among other pot-herbs to open the body, and make it soluble; but the roots washed clean, and boiled in ale and drank, provokes to stool more than the leaves, but yet very gently. The root boiled in water, and the places of the body most troubled with vermin and lice washed therewith while it is warm, destroys them utterly. In Italy it is used against the plague, and in Saxony against the jaundice, as Camerarius says. A poultice made of the leaves has been known to give ease in the sciatica; and the country people in Buckinghamshire boil the roots and young leaves in ale, and take it as a purge. In smaller doses it works by urine, and removes obstructions of the viscera.”                                                                               

greater meadow rue

  The third meadow rue is Thalictrum aquilegifolium, or Greater Meadow rue, or Columbine meadow rue, the latter name being given to it because of the similarity of its leaves to columbines. This one in also native to North America, where it was used in the 19^th century to flavour spruce beer which was taken as a digestive tonic. It was also used as a purgative and diuretic, so one wonders what happened to those who drank the beer!

  As you can see from the pictures, these three meadow rues are quite distinctive, although all are in the same genus.This last has been used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of respiratory problems such as asthma, in combination with other herbs.

FIELD PENNY-CRESS, ANCIENT WEED WITH BIOFUEL POTENTIAL: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF FIELD PENNY-CRESS

FIELD PENNY-CRESS, THLASPI ARVENSE  

Field penny-cress likes to live in cultivated fields and farmers heartily dislike it as it depletes the nutrients in the soil. However researchers in Illinois believe that it could be a biodiesel and animal fodder crop as its seeds have a high oil yield. This would help scientists in their search for biofuel which comes from a crop which is not a traditional food one, such as soy beans or maize.

  Field pennycress is a native of Europe and was introduced to North America. They also grow in parts of North Africa and Asia. It grows to heights of between eight and sixteen inches (20-40 cms.) and has “winger” seed pods which are round and flattened. This is how it gets its genus name, Thlapsi which is the ancient Greek for “to crush.” Arvense means “of the fields” meaning fields used for crops. Field penny-cress cannot survive in areas of dense vegetation but adores tilled land.                                                   

  It is a member of the Brassicaceae or Cruciferae family of plants making it a relation of mustard, savoy cabbage and others, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, swede,  turnips, horseradish, kohlrabi, brussel sprouts, shepherd’s purse, scurvy-grass and flixweed to name but a few of its relations. Its leaves are high in protein and vitamin C, and they are said to taste like mustard and onions. In fact the ground seeds have been used as a mustard substitute.

  It has been a notorious weed for centuries and one Finnish law dating from 1734 illustrates this. The law says “Let he who throws wild oats, field penny-cress, or any other weed into his neighbour’s field lose his honour and be fined…and pay compensation for damage.”  This seems a steep penalty for such an action! Clearly field penny-cress was and is a particularly unpleasant weed.

   Indeed, it has a rather unpleasant smell, according to some. However its leaves are edible but slightly bitter when young. These can be added to salads or used as a potherb or added to soups. When the plant comes into flower the leaves are very bitter and unpalatable though. They can also cause gastric problems, so beware.                                       

   The sprouted seed can be added to salads and contains an oil which was used in the past for lighting.

  Other English names for this plant are fanweed, stinkweed and Mithradate mustard. It has been used for the treatment of carbuncles and internal ulcers too, as well as acute appendicitis, as a diaphoretic (promoting sweat in fevers), a diuretic, for rheumatism, as an expectorant, and for liver problems, kidney inflammation, as a blood purifier and an expectorant. It has been found to have antibacterial properties against some bacteria. However, large doses can decrease white blood cell count, so if you use it treat it with care and under the supervision of a physician.

  Perhaps field pennywort will prove a good animal feed/biofuel crop and lose its negative reputation in the near future.

  

  

SNAPDRAGONS, SYMBOLS OF PRESUMPTION: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF ANTIRRHINUMS

SNAPDRAGONS, ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS

Snapdragons have been cultivated in Britain for centuries and they have now become naturalized in some parts of Britain, having long ago escaped form gardens. We had them in the gardens of my childhood and I loved the name and the fact that they actually could look like Chinese dragons (so I thought). In India they are called dog’s mouth which doesn’t have the same ring to it. I used to love waiting for a bee to come to the flowers and push its way into one to get at the pollen. Of course I also enjoyed opening the mouths of the dragons by pinching the back of the flowers between my thumb and fingers. We had yellow and orange ones as well as maroon and yellow ones and red, which were probably the original wild snapdragons which are thought to have come from the Mediterranean region.

  As members of the Scrophulariaceae or figwort, family they are related to toadflax, water figwort which is sometimes called water betony, foxgloves, eyebright, brahmi or water hyssop and mullein. In the 17^th century Nicholas Culpeper uses the term snapdragon for toadflax and the name calves’ snout, both of which are also used for snapdragons.

   In the Victorian Language of Flowers, the snapdragon represented presumption. In the distant past in various countries the snapdragon was thought to be powerful enough to ward off spells and curses. Toadflax was also valued for similar reasons.

  A snapdragon growing in a garden will usually only grow to around two feet tall, but in its wild state it could reach heights of six feet. They flower in Britain between July and September and seed between August and October. It has been reported that they have been cultivated for their seed oil, although the seeds in the garden snapdragons are so small as to make this seem unlikely- perhaps those cultivated for their oil have larger seeds.

  The flowers and leaves are the main parts of the snapdragon to be used in traditional systems of medicine, and they have been employed in Europe and Asia for much the same purposes. In Iraqi traditional medicine the whole plant has been used in a decoction for its astringent, detergent properties, for wound cleaning and healing. It has also been used as a diuretic and treatment for liver diseases.

  In Europe the plant’s leaves and flowers have been gathered in summer and dried for alter use, to be used in poultices in the treatment of tumours, abscesses and sores. This has also been used for piles and a decoction or infusion has been used to reduce fevers and inflammation.

  In Asia the leaves and flowers have been used for pain relief and to reduce inflammation wile poultices are used for burns, scalds, piles and skin eruptions.

  Snapdragons are attractive ornamentals which have health benefits too.