Native Americans respect and understand the plants that they live with. Red Baneberry for example was used as a poison, in ceremonies, and to treat a variety of ailments. It is this type of expertise and understanding of the natural world and how to prepare a plant as a medicine or as a poison that is amazing.
About Red Baneberry
This is a herbaceous plant that is usually found growing by streams, along rock slopes, and interspersed among hard-wood and mixed-wood forests. It prefers mineral-rich moist soil and is found throughout New England. It extends as far north as Canada and as far west as Oregon. This erect growing perennial can reach three feet in height and has a hairless stem with alternately arranged leaves, that are lobed and sharp-toothed. It spreads by rhizomes. In late June, the plant blooms with clusters of small white flowers that quickly die off leaving red fruit that ripens in July and August. This red fruit is poisonous to eat.
Medicinal Uses
The Algonquian people use the root of this plant to treat several ailments. A decoction is made by boiling the root of the plant and use it to treat coughs, colds, rheumatism, and emaciation. They also use it to purify the blood and as an analgesic. Men of the Ojibwa ate small pieces of the root to cure stomach pain. The Algonquians use a decoction of the root in childbirth to relieve pain, stop bleeding, and stimulate lactation.
Hunting Use
A potent poison can be made from the red fruit of this plant. As a member of the buttercup family, the fruit contains the toxin ranunculin, often found in this family. When exposed to the toxin there is an intense burning sensation followed by reddening of the skin and in severe cases, blistering. Algonquian hunters coat their arrows with the juice of this berry that when introduced intravascularly, the toxin, ranunculin, leads to circulatory failure and death.
Did You Know...
Other names for Red Baneberry are Red Cotash and Herb Christopher.
The Cheyenne celebrate the plant's qualities by using the root in ceremonies.
The scientific name of this plant is Actaea rubra.
If the berries of this plant are ingested it affects the nervous system. European species have fatally poisoned children. Symptoms include burning of the mouth and throat, salivation, severe stomach cramps, headache, diarrhea, dizziness, and hallucinations.
Toxicity depends on a person's height, weight, age, and individual susceptibility.
This plant is sometimes confused with mountain sweetroot, however, Red Baneberry lacks the strong anise-like scent of mountain sweetroot.
No comments:
Post a Comment