It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Family Solanaceae: The World's Most Successful Plants. Food, Medicine and Witchcraft

page: 3
95
<< 1  2    4 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Mar, 18 2012 @ 07:59 PM
link   


This a Wolfberry plant, a.k.a. the Goji berry, an Asian Solanaceae varietal.


Chinese medicinal tradition relies heavily upon the Wolfberry as a daily tonic, as it is reputed to have potent rejuvenative properties. In fact, there is a Tang Dynasty legend which anticipates the Fountain of Youth by some centuries. A well was dug on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, and became overrun with Goji vines. Those that drank from the well reported miraculously prolonged youth.

The finest quality Wolfberries are grown in the Ningxia region on the high plateau plantations in the North.



I can vouch for the taste. You can munch these the way you would Craisins, as a tasty and convenient snack. They are sweet, tangy and pleasantly chewy. They also help balance bitter or astringent herbs when brewed in teas.

The efficacy of the Wolfberry has proven out under modern scrutiny. Here are some of the amazing benefits regular consumption bestows:


n the recent years, many Chinese and Western scientists report that wolfbery has the function to reinforce the immune system of the body, to overcome fatigue, improve vision, strengthen the liver, decrease the blood sugar, regulate the blood pressure, prevent and treat cancer and tumour formations, regulate the hard alchohol in gall bladder.

The laboratory research shows that wolfberry increases the leucocytes within the body, prevents the cells of aging, stimulates the self-regulative functions of DNA and help the aged and diseased cells to transfrm and by this way, to be recovered the normal healthy state of cells.

Japanese scientists have proved that the wolfberry polysacharids stop the growth of cancer cells and that they contain compounds which prevent the cells from mutation. The polysacharids content in wolfberry is between 7 and 13%, while the overall content of sugar is between 22 and 42%.

The wolfberry is considerably helpful in liver cancer. This is because the wolfberry polysacharids have the ability to decrease the oxidation of the fatty substances in the liver cells. As the Chinese doctors say, the wolfberry is the best medicine for tonifying kidneys and liver.

hanlinqigong.com...


Thanks for such a delightful thread, X. It's been so much fun.
edit on 18-3-2012 by Eidolon23 because: .



posted on Mar, 18 2012 @ 08:31 PM
link   

The Nicotine Molecule.

The ultimate success of tobacco, 800lb Gorilla of the plant realm

I wanted to bring to you, ATS, a penultimate nicotine post because I wanted to make you all aware of something that folks just aren’t really aware of and so probably do not think to add to the equation when it comes to tobacco and nicotine.

As I have mentioned before, I see it as one of the ultimate signs of a plant’s success in the world as being when it has its essence extracted and divided for further usefulness and multiplied and used for medicine or some other helpful role in the realm of human pursuit.

And so we now have nicotine, it has been extracted for medicinal use for a very long time, but now we who enjoy it recreationally and as a habit, no longer need to smoke to enjoy its benefits. Now, the essence of the tobacco plant, nicotine, is extracted and added to water and vegetable glycerin and can be inhaled through vaporization using an electronic cigarette.

It was the delivery device that was killing us, folks, not the nicotine, although that really does remain to be seen and is just my opinion.

Tobacco was always harsh. When the European colonizers encountered tobacco in the ‘Americas’ they coughed their damn fool heads off. But the sailors kept at it because, well, they are sailors, and it became apparent that there was something good going on there. European colonizers then set to work perfecting ways to prepare the tobacco for human consumption. They succeeded with multiple boutique curing methods, some of which we still enjoy today.

But lighting something on fire and sticking it in your mouth has never been a really good plan, and we have paid dearly for it. Not anymore, E-cigarettes have changed and are changing all of that. I encourage nicotine lovers everywhere to look in to them ASAP. And that’s all I have to say about that.



X.



posted on Mar, 18 2012 @ 08:37 PM
link   

Originally posted by Eidolon23

This a Wolfberry plant, a.k.a. the Goji berry, an Asian Solanaceae varietal.


Chinese medicinal tradition relies heavily upon the Wolfberry as a daily tonic, as it is reputed to have potent rejuvenative properties. In fact, there is a Tang Dynasty legend which anticipates the Fountain of Youth by some centuries. A well was dug on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, and became overrun with Goji vines. Those that drank from the well reported miraculously prolonged youth.

The finest quality Wolfberries are grown in the Ningxia region on the high plateau plantations in the North.

I can vouch for the taste. You can munch these the way you would Craisins, as a tasty and convenient snack. They are sweet, tangy and pleasantly chewy. They also help balance bitter or astringent herbs when brewed in teas.

The efficacy of the Wolfberry has proven out under modern scrutiny. Here are some of the amazing benefits regular consumption bestows:

Thanks for such a delightful thread, X. It's been so much fun.


No, thank you, I loves the Goji Berries and I am so excited to learn that they are from my favorite plant family.

No wonder I dig the taste so much. After the first time I had them I could not stop craving them, the taste is unforgettable. I am so happy that you added this to the thread.

You just totally made my day.

X.

P.S. Unlike Trextor Ziam, who had to go and find an error in my formatting; I'll get to you, Trextorrrr!

edit on 18-3-2012 by Xoanon because:




posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 02:46 AM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


Cool thread to read as I'm working on building the last of my raised beds this weekend before planting begins in two weeks time. I didn't even know my potatoes and tomatoes would be cousins.


reply to post by Eidolon23
 




A farmer I worked with once told me that all blight-resistant potatoes must be replaced three generations out by fresh new strains from the Andes, as they lost their resistance very quickly.


Potato Blights can come from anywhere, I've never heard of certain types of potatoes losing their resistance to blights. In fact the worst potato blight in history, the Great Potato Famine was because of this very myth. American traders argued that seed potatoes from domesticated fields would not be as nutritious or productive if replanted.. So every few years farmers would buy tons of potatoes from American ports to reseed their fields. the blight started in the Andes, made it's way to ports in New York and from there made it to Europe where it essentially wiped out the entire potato crop.

The same blight that killed potatoes in Ireland, which originated in the Andes, wiped out the Russian potato crop in 2001.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 04:01 AM
link   
Thank you very much for this wonderful post. It's always great to know about what plants can benefit you and what plants can be harmful let alone the history of where they came from. Thumbs up on the post about the potato, very interesting info



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 04:33 AM
link   

Originally posted by Exsisto
reply to post by Xoanon
 


What an absolutely brilliant thread. I'm quite sure the mods are giving you tons of applause for a well-constructed treatise on this remarkable species of plant.

I had no idea the potato and tomato were related to each other, let alone that they both are members of the storied nightshade family. Ah, the things we can learn on ATS!!


I read once that in the early days of settling the US that people thought tomatoes were poisonous and wouldnt eat them. It is the LEAVES and stems of tomatoe plants that are poisonous of course and not the fruit of the plant.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 06:02 AM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


Excellent work a very interesting article. So many plants referred to as weeds also have amazing properties. A fascinating subject.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 07:26 AM
link   
Don't forget about RAW cannabis.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 08:00 AM
link   

Originally posted by Rockpuck

Potato Blights can come from anywhere, I've never heard of certain types of potatoes losing their resistance to blights. In fact the worst potato blight in history, the Great Potato Famine was because of this very myth. American traders argued that seed potatoes from domesticated fields would not be as nutritious or productive if replanted.. So every few years farmers would buy tons of potatoes from American ports to reseed their fields. the blight started in the Andes, made it's way to ports in New York and from there made it to Europe where it essentially wiped out the entire potato crop.

The same blight that killed potatoes in Ireland, which originated in the Andes, wiped out the Russian potato crop in 2001.


Struth!

www.mykoweb.com...

This farmer had a freaking Master's in Soil Science from Cornell, so I didn't think I had to vet that too much. Thanks for the fact check. Maybe he was talking about the importance of swapping in clean seed stock every couple of seasons, which is commonly recommended.

www.the-organic-gardener.com...



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 11:09 AM
link   
reply to post by Trexter Ziam
 


Trexter,

You are correct, Gooseberries are Genus ribes and are not solanaceous plants, and neither are Huckleberries as they are family Ericaceae.

But Cape Gooseberries are family solanaceae...

Physalis peruviana




Physalis ( /ˈfaɪsəlɪs/, sometimes /faɪˈseɪlɪs/) is a genus of plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), native to warm temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world.

en.wikipedia.org...


And it is the garden huckleberry, Solanum melanocerasum, that is found in the nightshade family, not, Ericaceae...

Solanum melanocerasum

It even looks like a nightshade, doesn't it?


I apologize for not being more accurate. Thank you for the tune-up.



X.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 11:19 AM
link   
Here is another beautiful Physalis



Physalis alkekengi. Chinese Lantern.

Related to the Cape Gooseberry and firmly esconced within Family Solanaceae, it is referred to as Kaknaj in Traditional Chinese medicine and is used as a diuretic, antiseptic, liver corrective and, of course, a sedative.

en.wikipedia.org...



Thanks to all for sticking around and making this a great thread.

X.



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 11:53 AM
link   
Wonderful thread!

These types of threads keep me coming back to this site, way to go op!



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 01:43 PM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


You've got it correct now!

Here are other URLS I had saved for you; but, I see you have it all figured out now. Thank you for a cool thread!

www.pfaf.org...

www.tradewindsfruit.com...

www.extension.umn.edu...



posted on Mar, 19 2012 @ 09:53 PM
link   
the flowers look freaky. like they have powers themselves



posted on Mar, 20 2012 @ 01:46 PM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


Nice thread, thanks. As with many of these threads, why can't I list it as a favorite? Some threads have the favorite link activated, some don't. Huh?



posted on Mar, 23 2012 @ 12:40 PM
link   
My intention has been to try to bring some information to this thread concerning Solanaceae in Northern Europe and Russia.

Folks, it looks like it is going to require some more research on my part and it will likely be all about yellow and black Henbane, which we should probably revisit in more detail, anyhow. So I am going to get to that shortly.

In the meantime, check out this amazing member of Family Solanaceae from Australia...

Dubiosa myoporoides. The Corkwood Tree





The nicotine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine-containing leaves of Duboisia are the active component of the drug pituri, used by indigenous peoples of central Australia for its stimulant, euphoric, antispasmodic and analgesic effects. For example, smoke from the burning leaves is inhaled at ceremonies, such as male initiation rites, including circumcision...

en.wikipedia.org...


This particular solanum is cultivated for the pharmaceutical industry and this is where a great deal of our Scopalamine comes from.





X.




edit on 23-3-2012 by Xoanon because: .



posted on Mar, 24 2012 @ 05:31 AM
link   
I'm big right now on Iochroma aka (Mini-Brugmansia) and ordered
a few. The alkaloids haven't been researched yet for medical uses but,
the ornamental value of these is awesome.







posted on Mar, 29 2012 @ 12:09 AM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


I know that we learn something new everyday, but I did not expect to learn this.

Here, my friends, is a solanum gone bad. Or rather, a solanum in the wrong place; a solanum gone wrong, maybe.





The Solanum Rostratum Dunal, a toxic wild plant native to North America, is seen along a roadside in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Aug. 28, 2011. Experts at the Inner Mongolia Normal University said that the Solanum Rostratum Dunal, a toxic plant native to North America, is spreading across Inner Mongolia. With a negative influence on crops and cotton, the alien plant could cause a huge damage to agricultural production and finally lead to desertification. It also has poisonous thorns that could bring health hazards to humans and livestock. (Xinhua/Zhang Yue)

news.xinhuanet.com...


I was not expecting to hear this at all. And considering that this plant is the host of the colorado potato beatle, who knows what kind of entymological strangeness this could be creating in inner Mongolia.

X.



posted on Mar, 29 2012 @ 08:23 AM
link   
reply to post by Xoanon
 


Well, they are more than a little screwed up there, anyway. Since the 40's, the Chinese have been using the very same farming practices that led to the Dust Bowl disaster on the American plains in the 30's. Rip up the grasses, cultivate the soil in a dumbass manner that fosters rapid-pace erosion. But they are doing this on a much larger scale than we saw here in the US. My favorite technique? "Dust mulching".

Yeah, that's as bad as it sounds. The topsoil just gets swept off the earth and blown in great terrible dirt-oceans that stretch to the sky. If the invasive solanaceae can survive in the encroaching desert, more power to it, I guess.

edit on 29-3-2012 by Eidolon23 because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 31 2012 @ 12:42 AM
link   
Fanfare For The Common Plant



Well,

For those that have been following along and those new to this thread.

I should have checked this sooner. But in a way, I am glad that we have it here at the end.

The results are in.

It's a sweep ladies and gentlemen.

Deadly Nightshade must indeed be, The Most Successful Plant Family on The Planet Earth.

It has been to space.



In order to avoid blasting forth some low-gravity vomit, astronauts sometimes turn to ScopeDex, a speedy cocktail of Scopolamine and Dexedrine to combat nausea.

news.discovery.com...




Antique British botanical drawing of deadly nightshade; from 1891


So let's hear it for family Solanaceae for getting themselves shot into space. In my book, it has been made evident, The Deadly Nightshades are indeed, the world's most successful plants.

In fact, they are astronauts themselves, in a way.

X.
edit on 31-3-2012 by Xoanon because:





top topics



 
95
<< 1  2    4 >>

log in

join