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fyzygy

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Posts posted by fyzygy

  4. Posted

    And a few recent experiments of my own. Two buttons closest together was my first -- those two buttons were practically kissing, and I thought they might push one another off the rootstock. Smart plant, it's actually increased the gap between them. Opuntia doesn't seem to care where the button is placed (anywhere on the cut surface seems to do?). And it's super-vigorous. Buttons grafted to opuntia might not hold their shape well, it seems. I've tried with both rooted and unrooted opuntia slabs. I've not had a graft rejected, so far. Three days under cling wrap with moderate pressure (high internal humidity), then it's pretty much ready for acclimatisation. Spineless opuntia is my rootstock of choice, for obvious reasons. But any old opuntia will do -- I've even used rabbit ears (ouch!). These pictures are all of grafts approx. 1-3 weeks old. Each one took less than 5 minutes to execute, with minimal sanitisation of tools and workspace (I used freshly boiled water on the knife). Only time will tell, I guess. 

     

    IMG_1654.jpg

    IMG_1655.jpg

  7. Posted

    11 hours ago, LokStok said:

    There is no such thing as sustainable harvest of Acacia rootbark.

     

    I can envision a few scenarios. For example, our local council often cuts down an old or dying acacia, leaving behind the roots. Similarly, acacias die all the time in the bush, arguably these may require some kind of cleaning up (to prevent excessive fire loads etc.). There is also the example of an invasive exotic Acacia that may need to be cleared out to preserve native habitat and ecosystem integrity. A lot hinges on one's definition of sustainability, and the kind of economies of scale OP has in mind. 

     

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    Grab some roots and all - mine is the "leaf is more flat" kind. PM me and I'll send you some. It might have set seed, but I don't know what to look for ... ?

    1 hour ago, Ishmael Fleishman said:

    willing to donate a cutting

     

     

    39 minutes ago, Alchemica said:

    Trying to root up cuttings at the moment, if I have success I'll be in touch

    Sounds great. I've been trying to get the other variety for ages. 

  14. Posted

    2 hours ago, Ishmael Fleishman said:

    fyzygy what makes you uncertain? Have you sampled

     

     

    “Kougoed is easily confused with other members of the genus Sceletium (as well as with Mesembryanthemum spp.). Those species that not only look similar but also have similar effects and contain the same active constituent (mesembrine) were presumably also referred to as kougoed and used in the same manner (Arndt and Kruger 1970; Jeffs et al. 1970, 1974; D. McKenna 1995, 101*):
     
    Sceletium anatomicum (Haw.) L. Bolus [syn. Mesembryanthemum anatomicum Haw.]
    Sceletium expansum (L.) L. Bolus [syn. Mesembryanthemum expansum L.]
    Sceletium joubertii L. Bolus290
    Sceletium namaquense L. Bolus
    Sceletium strictum L. Bolus”

    Excerpt From: Rätsch, Christian. “The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.” iBooks. 

     

     

    This plant (Wikipedia's "textbook" example of S. tortuosum) looks different to mine: Sceletium_tortuosum_01102003_Afrique_du_

     

  15. Posted · Edited by fyzygy

    Botanical name must be printed on outside of package, even if it's not on any AQIS blacklist. (Last time I checked, several years ago). 

     

    10 hours ago, Ishmael Fleishman said:

    The seed was coming from Sweden, bought through Etsy.

     

    You are welcome to some free Sceletium from my garden ... supposedly tortuosum but I'm not 100% convinced.

  16. Posted

    Psychoactive Material
     
    —Saffron (croci stigma, flores croci, crocus): the brick red stigma held together by a small piece of the style. The dried stigmas are approximately 20 to 40 mm long. They have a strong aromatic scent and a spicy-hot taste.
     
    Two qualities are distinguished:
     
    —Crocus electus (saffron tips, free of the remains of the styles)
    —Crocus naturalis (with many pieces of styles)
     
    The stigmas must be kept out of the light and stored in an airtight container, or the volatile essential oil will evaporate and the color will fade.
    The entire flower is used for folk medicinal purposes.


    Besides the Greek saffron, the Hippocratics mention an “Egyptian saffron” that was used externally. This likely is a reference to yellow safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), as the Egyptians themselves did not plant saffron (which they called the “blood of Hercules”). Instead, they imported it from Crete and southwest Asia. The saffron threads are often mistaken for or counterfeited by the petals of the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) (Norman 1991, 33*). Curcuma (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae) is known as saffron spice as well as Indian saffron. To add to the confusion, the autumn crocus is also known as meadow saffron ... 

     

    Preparation and Dosage
     
    In ancient times, saffron was used primarily as a wine additive (cf. Vitis vinifera) that provided an additional inebriating effect (Norman 1991, 33*). Saffron is an important ingredient in laudanum or tinctura opii crocata (cf. Papaver somniferum, soporific sponge). Saffron is also found in the so-called Swedish herb mixes (cf. theriac) as well as Oriental joy pills and other aphrodisiacs. In ancient China, saffron was used as an additive to sake.


    A Greek papyrus from the Egyptian Arsinoites (third century B.C.E.) contains a recipe; unfortunately, there is no information about what the mixture should be used for: The plaster of Dionysus: two drams of copper oxide, three obols of rosebud hearts (perhaps specifically Rosa gallica), three obols of saffron, one-half obol poppy juice (Papaver somniferum), three obols of white (acacia) gum (Gummi arabicum). Stir these (things) in wine as smoothly as possible (and) make ointments, apply. (In Hengstl et al. 1978, 272)
     
    Perhaps this was some type of aphrodisiac ointment, for saffron has always enjoyed a reputation as an aphrodisiac and agent of love.
    To date, no risks have been documented at a maximum daily dosage of 1.5 g. Twenty grams is given as a lethal dose, while 10 g can induce abortion (per Monographie der Kommission E; cf. Czygan 1989, 414).

     

    Constituents
     
    Saffron contains 8 to 13% solid oil and up to 1% essential oil, as well as oleanolic acid derivatives, glycosides, the bitter substance picrocrocine (which when stored transforms into safranal, the aromatic substance that gives saffron its characteristic scent), and crystalline yellow dyes (α-crocine = crocetine-di-β-D-gentiobiosylester, crocetine, and others) (Czygan 1989, 414). Saffron also contains the vitamins riboflavin (100γ/g!) and thiamine (Bhat and Broker 1953). The essential oil has a rather complex structure (Zarghami 1970): “The principal component of the essential oil is safranal, which produces the scent typical of the drug. Safranal is first produced during drying, which is why this step merits particular attention during processing” (Pahlow 1995, 78*).”

     

    Effects
     
    The psychoactive effects of saffron have been occasionally described as “spasms of laughter” and “delirium” (Vonarburg 1995, 76); “in its effects, saffron comes close to opium [cf. Papaver somniferum]; in low dosages, it excites, cheers, and produces laughter . . . , in contrast, in high dosages it sedates, promotes sleep, sopor” (Most 1843, 536*). The essential oil and its vapors also produce psychoactive effects, which have been described as “a sedative effect upon the brain, sleep-inducing, produc[ing] headaches [and] cheerful delirium, and paralyz[ing] motor nerves. Blindness. Peculiar orgasm” (Roth et al. 1994, 276). Actual reports of direct experiences with the drug are not available, presumably because of its high cost.


    Saffron promotes protein digestion because it stimulates enzymatic activity. It also stimulates uterine activity and can thus have abortifacient effects. Saffron has the highest riboflavin content of any plant (as a percentage of weight) and as a result appears to lower cholesterol levels (Basker and Begbi 1983). The extract has stimulating and antispasmodic properties (Hooper 1937, 107*).

     

    Medicinal Use
     
    Saffron is one of the oldest and most used medicines of the Hippocratics. It was said to be an effective antidote for drunkenness (see Vitis vinifera) and to increase male potency. According to Pliny, saffron was a panacea and an aphrodisiac: “It induces sleep, has a gentle effect upon the head, and whets the sex drive” (21.137). For this reason, saffron was also an important ingredient in love drinks in ancient Rome (Mercatante 1980, 50*). During the Renaissance, it was said that smelling a crocus in bloom “expands the heart and the tools of the mind and stimulates to coitus.”

     
    In the mystical medicine of Islam, the following is said about saffron: “It is an excellent agent for the blood and for strengthening the soul. It assuages joint pains and strengthens the sex drive in young men” (Moinuddin 1984, 99*).


    Since the Middle Ages, saffron has been used as a remedy for “St. Anthony’s fire” (ergotism; cf. Claviceps purpurea). In Victorian England, it was used to treat constipation and found its way to the source of the problem as an enema (Mercatante 1980, 51*).

     

    In Western medicine, saffron was once used as a nerve calmative and to treat spasms and asthma, but it no longer has any medical significance. In folk medicine, saffron is still used as a sedative and antispasmodic (Czygan 1989, 414). In homeopathy, the mother tincture is prepared from the dried filaments (stigmas) and is used primarily to treat women and children (Vonarburg 1995, 76).

     

    Saffron also found its way into traditional Chinese medicine, where it is used as a psycho-active remedy:
     
    Among the ailments that are generally treated with saffron are depression, constricted feelings in the chest, fear, shock, confusion (mental and emotional disturbances), coughing blood, period pains and other menstrual complaints, blood congestion [accumulation of blood in the capillaries], and abdominal pains following childbirth. Long-term use of saffron can free one from depressions and feelings of anxiety and produce sensations of happiness. (Leung 1995, 186*)
     
    In Baluchistan (Pakistan), 10 g of ground flowers (not just the pistils), which are known as khakhobe, are drunk mornings and evenings in a mixture of liquid yogurt as a remedy for dysentery (Goodman and Ghafoor 1992, 52*). In Yemen, saffron is still used as an aromatic stimulant (Fleurentin and Pelt 1982, 90f.*).

    Excerpt From: Rätsch, Christian. “The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.” iBooks. 

     

     

    Excerpted from: Rätsch, Christian. “The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.” iBooks. 

  17. Posted

    I recall someone on eBay selling this melted-wax type Tricho, sourced from Cactilicious/ Cheezelburger -- they'd named it Cheeze TV. Does anyone know it/ have a cut to spare? I'd love to take another look at the thing, if anyone's got a pic ... 

  19. Posted

    I thought the artwork looked ... analog!

     

    There's some distortion in one of the sounds, presumably intentional. I figured from that you're probably using an all-digital workflow, because it's not like the distortion I'm used to (mainly vacuum tube). The Apollo Twin looks neat, I remember using UAD plug-ins a long time ago in a professional studio. These days they're using AI for mixdown plugins (e.g. Izotope) the results of which are educational if not always usable.

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