I had to write about this magnificent tree after my conversation with a friend newly acquainted to me. We were talking about books; I told him I was reading Wade Davis’ autobiography, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and explained to him that it was about Professor Davis’ journey as an ethno-botanist seeking to find the supposed plant responsible for inducing the process of turning people into “zombis”. With this he became flustered and spouted things about Wicca and witchcraft, which seems to be a common response to me whenever I talk about the book. Anyways, he told me his mom was into “botany,” by which explanation he gave me, I think he meant something more along the lines of Wicca, and told me she even had a bottle of actual dragon’s blood.

With this I couldn’t help but smile, I explained to him that dragon’s blood wasn’t actually blood from a dragon but an ink or resin extracted most commonly from plants of the Dracaena family. He responded with a simple “Oh.”

The spectacular speciman captured in the photo above is Dracaena Draco. It is indigenous to the Canary Islands and is rare in natural occurrence, but it’s commonly cultivated in gardens for aesthetic purposes. Dracaena is the Roman spelling for the ancient Greek word for female dragon, Draco just being the Latin word for dragon. On average, this tree grows to about 20 feet and it’s branches naturally ascend to form a unique mushroom shape, uncommon to most palms.

Dragon’s blood can be made of a large array of plants, but blood made from Dracaena Draco is true dragon’s blood. It is made from the plant’s dark red sap, most likely thinned out with other substances to prevent it from hardening and so it can be used as an ink or incense. Dragon’s blood was typically used in protection spells in association with the god of war, Ares or Mars.

Scientific name: Dracaena Draco
Common names: Dragon Tree

http://www.floridata.com/ref/D/drac_dra.cfm
http://www.eol.org/pages/1087629

This Valentine’s day I was making a Mulled Jasmine Tea blend that called for coarsely crushed cinnamon. My lovely Valentine was kind enough to bring some to me, but when I received it I was puzzled. This supposed cinnamon was not the rich, cherry-wood colored brown I was expecting. It was a decidedly dull brown, and it was not cleanly cut in the least bit, and it splintered every time I cut it. I sniffed it to make sure it was not a mislabeled package, but to my surprise it did have the cinnamon scent. Still feeling deceived, I dramatically googled “true cinnamon” and slammed my enter key.

As I read on, guilt filled my soul to find that my suspected impostor cinnamon was actually the “true cinnamon,” and the lovely, fiery spice that I have grown so attached to is called Cassia.

Cassia Cinnomomum, also known as “Indonesian cinnamon,” is often mistaken for true cinnamon, or more rather, has become the true cinnamon, here in the U.S. Bottles of reddish-brown powder line up spice shelves in grocery stores, plainly labeled as “cinnamon,” as a means of generalizing spices so that the common shoppers will not confuse it with something completely different than being an alternative to the well-known spice cooks and bakers have all grown to love.

I am not at all out-casting Cassia Cinnomomum or Ceylon (true) Cinnamon, in fact I am promoting them both for their subtle differences. Cassia cinnamon, I would say is spicier and more pungent than true cinnamon, as stated previously it is also reddish, where as true cinnamon is more tan. Cassia is also more compact and cleaner cut in “stick” form, while Ceylon is brittle and splintery. So the spicy, sweet, and warm flavor of Cassia?—Or, the delicate, complex, flavor of Ceylon? I guess it depends on what you’re cooking. Very recently I have dubbed true cinnamon to be the spice of main courses and sauces, but am still using cassia cinnamon for sweets, like pastries and creamy beverages (hot chocolate and coffee).

Scientific name: Cassia Aromaticum
Common names: Indonesian Cinnamon, Cinnamon, Cassia

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/spice-entry.php?term=Cassia
http://www.alchemy-works.com/herb_cassia.html
*I know it’s a .com source, but I really do love the alchemy works site.
It is an inspiration for my blog.

I was going to do another tribute post, but I was so spooked by stories of Manchineel tree poisoning and torture that the moment I woke up, I hopped on my computer and started reading up on the supposed antidote for it; Arrowroot. This blessed plant has many useful properties among its’ ability to draw out poison. It provides for the starches needed in many jellies and pastes; most of which are used in food for infants and the handicapped because it is very easy to digest. Arrowroot spice, made from its’ starches, can be used as a fine baby powder or to thicken sauces and make glazes for pastries. It’s roots are apparently a great source of fiber and contain some proteins.

Okay so— treatment. Mashed roots of the Maranta Arundinacea were used to heal poisoned arrow wounds, hence the name “arrowroot”. However, in the Philippines [and likely some other places] mashed roots were also applied to treat bug bites and/or irritated and inflammed skin. So if you get really tired jogging along the beach and accidently rest against a Manchineel tree, it would do you great good to have someone fetch you some arrowroot while you frantically wash your skin with clean water and pop a benadryl.

The picture I chose shows arrowroot to have light green patches of color on its’ leaves, but it can also be a solid green. Its’ leaves are long and ovate on stalky stems. It sometimes has white flowers.

Scientific name: Maranta Arundinacea
Common names: Arrowroot, Obedience plant, Christmas bush, Araro

http://www.jstor.org/pss/4254646
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropView?id=2335

This tree played a huge role in nudging me to embrace my botanical interests. Believe it or not, I found out about it not by reading science articles, no not by visiting some exotic garden, but— silly as it is— through research I was compelled to do for my beloved rogue poisoner character, which I made for a Dungeons and Dragons sessions with my wonderfully geektastical friends.

Fueled by the dedication of my friends and the passion they put into making and playing their characters, I painstakingly made a chart of poisonous plants categorized by region, rarity, effects, and applications so whichever unfortunate DM would have to put up with my constant search checks would not have to come up with or make up a plant on the top of his/her head along with all the tedious procedures on how to produce a poison from it. [Unfortunately, things didn’t play out the way I would have liked: we were often in places where plants were almost non-existant] Anyhow, upon reading up on these plants, I stumbled upon this deviously deadly tree and fell in love…

This is the Manchineel Tree, a plant that will cause harm upon contact. Even being hit with a raindrop rolling off one of its’ leaves has the potential to cause severe skin irritation. Eating its’ fruit- which is deceivingly sweet smelling, is absolutely out of the question, one bite will cause swelling and inflammation in one’s throat within half an hour. Smoke from burning this tree can cause temporary blindness, meaning of course that inhaling it most likely isn’t good for you either. This tree is dangerous in every way possible, and to almost everything possible [Only one animal is known to be able to tolerate the ingestion of its’ fruit]. It is very similar in appearance to an apple tree, but with smaller yellowish-green fruits. [In my opinion, based on most pictures I see of it, its’ leaves are also a deeper green with a waxier texture than a normal apple tree]. Now, with all the things I’ve written above, I don’t believe I need to tell you NOT TO TOUCH this tree if you ever come across it, but I will anyways, because every other article I’ve read about it does.

Once again, DO NOT TOUCH this tree.

Scientific name: Hippomane Mancinella
Common names: Death apple tree, Manchineel Tree, Beach apple tree

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2346400
http://www.rk19-bielefeld-mitte.de/survival/FM/c.htm
[google imagine search “Manchineel Tree” to see the various signs warning you of Hippomane Mancinella’s dangers.]

I figured I’d start off with a familiar plant. In my town, this invasive, yet elegant weed takes over almost every vacant dirt patch for at least six months each year. It is the African Wood Sorrel, and the very first plant I’ve researched and identified without the help of a garden book. Commonly mistaken as a clover plant, this particular Wood Sorrel has long stems with small clusters of bright (almost neon) yellow flowers, and distinctive black speckles on their leaves. They are safe to eat in small quantities— I took the liberty to chew on a few peeled stems and would say the taste is similar to green grapes and lemon juice.

Scientific name: Oxalis pes-caprae
Common names: Sour grass, wood sorrel

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/flora/
http://www.wildfoodforagers.org/woodsorrel.htm