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Index of Subjects [ Apologies if this is a duplicate - I sent it last night but never got a copy back ] David, Here is a report of another brave soul who tasted Clintonia berries and yet lives today: http://www.nanps.org/board/?topic=topic7&msg=3 "There are several woodland Liliaceae reputed to have edible berries, including Bluebead lily [Clintonia borealis], Canada mayflower [Maianthemum canadense], and Solomonīs plume/False Solomonīs Seal [Smilacina racemosa]. I found all of them slightly sweet, bland, and with a soapy aftertaste. The Clintonia was especially soapy. I wouldnīt recommend them unless you were lost in the woods. Please note that some sources say that they _arenīt_ edible." And another person who could find no actual evidence of poisoning: http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forums/showthread.php?p=95471 "Bluebead lily fruits are suspected to be mildly poisonous. I used to scrupulously warn people not to eat them, but did some research a few years back and found no conclusive accounts of poisoning." This document marks the berries as Non Poisonous: Children Are Berry Curious A Guide to the Hazards of Ingestion of Raw Berries in Northwest Ohio Prepared by the Master Gardeners of Hancock County, OH http://hancock.osu.edu/hort/mgpdf/cabc2004revised.pdf Still, nothing conclusive. Date sent: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 21:11:24 -0300 From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mystery plant (picture) Send reply to: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Hi Mary & All, Aug 15, 2006 > I took care to have a glass of water ready and used it at once to > rinse everything out of my mouth. Apart from stomach cramps, for an hour > or so, there were no ill effects. And perhaps on the plus side, that > night I had unusually pleasant dreams (the best since I had pain-killers > [morphine ?] after a knee operation 30 years ago) so there may be a > euphoriant ingredient in the berries. > > If any are inclined to experiment with possible mood altering > substances in these berries I would suggest extreme caution because the > composition of wild plant tissues is very variable. > > Sweet dreams, Dave Webster, Kentville > > Mary Macaulay wrote: > > > Oh dear - you are quite right David and I hope you won't suffer any > > ill-efects from your experiment. I've found another reference (the > > encyclopedia of north american wild flowers) which says the berries > > are very poisonous! It says that the young leaves can be added to > > salads or cooked as greens but the older leaves are too tough. > > Traditional use in this reference says "poultice of fresh leaves for > > burns, sores and og bites, and a tea from the plant ot treat heart > > problems and diabetes. The root was used to help with labour. > > Mary > > > > ----Original Message Follows---- > > From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> > > Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mystery plant (picture) > > Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2006 20:44:21 -0300 > > > > Hi Mary & All, Aug 13, 2006 > > I finally remembered to bring some berries home today for a taste > > test. One was enough; very soapy and too foul to swallow. It is safe > > to assume that the author did not test these berries. Also I wonder > > about healthy plant tissue containing a significant amount of acetic > > acid. > > > > Some compendia of edible/medicinal plants are loaded with > > misinformation and I wonder if this applies here. > > > > The young rolled leaves of Clintonia, when they are <5 cm long, are > > a pleasant nibble with a cucumber flavor [young leaves cooked are > > reputed to make a good potherb but I have never tried this]. With age > > the leaves become bitter and, if I recall correctly, the leaves are > > seldom fed upon by insects so I suspect latex [it is odd but such > > thoughts surface when one is typing an e-mail and not when one has a > > plant within reach]. > > > > Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville > > > > > > Mary Macaulay wrote: > > > >> > >> Hi Rick, > >> According to one of my references (Use of Plants for the past 500 > >> years by Charlotte Erichesen-Brown - p346-347). The native people > >> used this plant (probably the roots as they contain diosgenin) for > >> treatment of tumours. The berries are said to be sweetish and edible > >> containing dextrose, levulose (fructose), tartaric and acetic acid > >> and fatty oil (not defined). > >> Mary > >> > >> ----Original Message Follows---- > >> From: "Rick Ballard" <RBallard@NL.Rogers.Com> > >> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > >> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mystery plant (picture) > >> Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:08:28 -0230 > >> > >> Interestingly, although the berries of Clintonia borealis are widely > >> regarded and reported as > >> being poisonous ( even commonly called Poisonberry in NF ), I have > >> been unable to find a > >> reference that tells exactly what the poison is, or its effects. > >> After an hour with Google I > >> turned up nothing specific. > >> > >> It is not listed in "A Field Guide to Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms > >> of North America". The > >> book has a reference for Corn Lily, but it is a different plant > >> altogether. > >> > >> Some quotes from the web: > >> > >> "POISONOUS PARTS: Berries suspect, caution. No known cases. Toxic > >> Principle: > >> Unknown; suspected due to relation to toxic plants. " > >> > >> "The fruits' toxicity hasn't been confirmed, but a Mi'kmaq tale > >> suggests that the whole might > >> be toxic." > >> > >> Wikipedia says: > >> "The rhizome contains diosgenin, a saponin steroid with estrogenic > >> effects." > >> "According to a Mi'kmaq tale, when a grass snake eats a poisonous > >> toad, it slithers in rapid > >> circles around a shoot of blue-bead lily to transfer the poison to > >> the plant." > >> > >> Does anyone have any more definite information ? > >> > >> Date sent: Sun, 30 Jul 2006 20:15:23 -0300 > >> From: Ken MacAulay <kenmacaulay@eastlink.ca> > >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mystery plant (picture) > >> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > >> Send reply to: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > >> > >> > Jeannie. This looks like Clintonia or blue bead lily. Those pretty > >> > blue berries are poisonous. > >> > Ken MacAulay > >> > Port Mouton > >> > > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Rick Ballard > >> Torbay, Newfoundland, Canada > >> http://www.ideaphore.com -- Rick Ballard Torbay, Newfoundland, Canada http://www.ideaphore.com
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