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Post by Sam on May 6, 2016 4:19:17 GMT -5
I think Mayapple is also called American Mandrake. The root is harvested as a medicinal. I dug some when I was growing up on the farm but then it was almost worthless because it is so plentiful. The following is a compilation of things the web has to say about Mayapple: When unripe the Mayapple resembles a lime. Then it turns a soft yellow and wrinkles a little, see to the right. That is ripe. The rest of the plant is also often dying at that time as well. Trim off the ends, do not eat the seeds. If you cook with it remove the seeds first. Other parts of the Mayapple have had a wide range of medicinal uses with native Americans. It is, however, a powerful plant and not to be used lightly: The Indians also used it to commit suicide. Two drugs are made from the Mayapple, etoposide and teniposide. Etoposide is for testicular and small-cell lung cancer, teniposide is used in conditions like brain tumors and infancy leukemia. For those of us old enough to remember “Carter’s Little Liver Pills” Mayapple was a main ingredient that made the pills a laxative and had nothing to do with the liver at all. In this shot you can see the 'apple' starting to form in the center of the blossom.
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Post by les on May 6, 2016 23:21:46 GMT -5
Very good and interesting Set Sam
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Post by Sam on May 7, 2016 3:41:34 GMT -5
Thank you Les.
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