Enthobotanical Map of Greater Adelaide - Any input would be very much appreciated

[wickerman01]

Hello everyone! I'll start by briefly introducing myself. I'm an amateur horticulturist that believes the restriction and criminalisation of cultivating plants is morally bankrupt and is having a detrimental effect on society, particularly those that have a passion for said plants.

That said, I think that there is a lot that people with a keen interest in enthobotany can do to remedy this situation. The way in which the Australian government tends to go about combating these so called 'drugs' is very poorly thought out, and will soon become entirely ineffective if they insist on banning everything that is even slightly psychoactive.

In an attempt to show people how abundant these plants are (and to make them more easily available) I am in the early stages of compiling a map of the greater Adelaide region, showing known areas in which plants with significant psychoactive properties can be found naturally.

So far this process is quite slow going as there is little recorded information of this kind, so I would much appreciate it if anyone from the region (or anyone who has any information for that matter) could possibly help me out simply by sharing the location of plants they have encountered.

Please understand, before I release any information, I would like it to be known that I wholeheartedly discourage the mass-harvesting of anything directly from the wild, as my aim is to make these plants more accessible, not wipe them out in the local area. If you plan on harvesting these plants, please take only enough to grow them for yourself and no more.

Thanks for reading, and I'll try my best to release what I have in the coming months.

Edited May 5, 2014 by wickerman01

[simhanada]

Unfortunately, just because you personally discourage the mass harvesting of such things doesn't guarantee someone using your handy map won't use it for their own self gain. Nothing wrong with people putting a little effort into finding nice things or growing their own legal plants. Not everything in our lives needs to be handed to us on a platter.

Edited May 5, 2014 by simhanada

[wickerman01]

HI Simhanada, thanks for the reply.

Please understand I know the potential for abuse with this kind of information, and I totally agree with what you are saying. My aim is not at all to create a map from which people find and take these plants, but it is more an inventory if you will of the states enthobotanical flora so that people can see how crazy it is to try and ban all these plants.

Sadly not everyone is the great person we would hope them to be, and in an attempt to stop the average Joe from wandering out their door and snatching anything they want with no research, the minimum radius of any pinpoint on the map is 25km, making it pretty hard to find the plant without some prior knowledge of botany. (I really shouldn't have called it a map, rather a rough graphic).

I think I've set a new record, 5 hours on a forum and I already look like a total idiot.

Edited May 5, 2014 by wickerman01

[naja naja]

Thankfully the community managed to get that part of the law removed before it was implemented. So our plants are safe for now.

[manic]

Without giving too much away....

- Theres a huge Datura somewhere along North Tce in the city.

- Mushrooms grow everywhere in the hills during winter.

- Peganum Harmala & Phalaris Aquatica are noxious weeds not too far away.

- cacti are extremely common in yards all over Adelaide, mainly pach's and perus.

- I have also found a couple of different Catha Edulis species in both the southern and northern suburbs.

- And most of all you can be guaranteed old Mary Jane aint too far from anyone

Edited May 5, 2014 by ballzac

[shortly]

HI Simhanada, thanks for the reply.

Please understand I know the potential for abuse with this kind of information,

The other potential for misuse with this kind of resource is that law enforcement & other grubbyment departments like to use this kind of material as a kind of a shopping list of what to target.

[-RC-]

^ more than that, what to poison, slash and burn. Fuck the po-po, and I totally agree with the above-stated, along the lines of "Seek and ye shall find"

[∂an]

Including specific locations of entheogenic plants might not be the best idea. How about a listing and discussion (eg traditional, medical and culinary usage) of a broad selection of plants that grow in the area?

[Micromegas]

Umm, there aren't any naturally occurring plants with significant psychoactive properties growing in the Adelaide metropolitan region anyway or even in most of south australia, unless I am very badly mistaken. The only exception in the entire state I can really think of is duboisia hopwoodii.

I am from south australia by the way.

[LokStok]

yesss, i'm from SA too, and i'd be interested to hear a few examples of which actual plants you are referring too.

[Slocombe]

I'm an amateur horticulturist that believes the restriction and criminalisation of cultivating plants is morally bankrupt and is having a detrimental effect on society... I am in the early stages of compiling a map of the greater Adelaide region, showing known areas in which plants with significant psychoactive properties can be found naturally.

So far this process is quite slow going as there is little recorded information of this kind, so I would much appreciate it if anyone from the region (or anyone who has any information for that matter) could possibly help me out simply by sharing the location of plants they have encountered.

You assume (incorrectly) that politicians (and the wider public) will dispassionately and logically think about these issues and deal with the risks associated with psychoactive plants - they won't. Until the "war on drugs" ends, the best course of action for everyone interested in ethnobobotany is to: 1. Act within the law. 2. Keep knowledge within a close-knit community so it doesn't become "common knowledge". 3. Advocate for law reform as a law-abiding citizens.

That sounds overly negative but I think I'm just being realistic. However, further debate on this topic is needed!

Edited May 5, 2014 by GHBeer

[Sallubrious]

Hi Wickerman welcome to the forum

Have you found anything of note that would be suitable for the map you are compiling ?

As you've probably noticed most members here are not going to be very supportive of a map showing where to find plants as it could have some repercussions. General discussion about species might get more interest.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Sally