Any interesting plants in southern NZ

[Torsten]

I know about Piper excelsum, but can't think of anything else. If you know anything interesting, please give some details here.

[Adrian]

Coriaria thymifolia (although I doubt it is from the south).

A few shrooms including Psilocybe novo zealandiae

& Laurelia novae zelandiae

all that comes to mind ATM...

[spiders]

As this is wear I hail from, this is some interesting information.

Great info Adrian - Psilocybe Novae-Zelandiae as described by Guzman and Horak has been reported in the SOuth Island of New Zealand - hoever it is not reported to be an active species. It was recorded around Mid Canterbury - Mount Grey.

Psilocybe Semilanceata which is highly active and is found in long grass areas at altitude. Around MacKenzie, Otago Lakes and Buller.

Psilocybe Subaeruginosa (Australiana/Eucalypta) has been reported throughout all of New Zealand.

Psilocybe Makarorae is another active woodloving species native to New Zealand reported growing on 'rotting wood' around Dunedin, Otago Lakes, Westland and Bay of Plenty.

[ 02. February 2003, 13:11: Message edited by: bluemeanie ]

[Rev]

Edited April 21, 2007 by Rev

[Torsten]

Ask and yer shall receive...... too much sometimes

A friend who's book we will be publishing soon has contributed this info to the thread. Thank you!!

---------------------------------------------------

A mystery waiting to be solved is the potential entheogen Keketuwai, a water

plant used by the Maori tohunga to communicate with supernatural entities

(Riley, 1994). Riley (p 189, 1994) then mentions that the identity of this

plant is unknown, but it is more moss-like than like a fern, so it is possible

that this plant is a Club Moss.

with relatives like

In the Nokopo Village of the Madang and Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea, the

men rub the Water Tassel, Huperzia squarrosa (Forst.f.) Trevisan (formerly known

as Lycopodium squarrosum) on their bodies before sleeping to meet a bush spirit

who teaches any man fortunate enough to meet the spirit, a new song (Schmid,

1991).

Another Tassel species, the Common Tassel Fern, Huperzia phlegmaria (L.) Rothm.

(formerly known as Lycopodium phlegmaria) is used as an aphrodisiac by the

aborigines in the north-east of Queensland (Bailey, 1881).

In New Zealand, Sophora microphylla (Briggs & Ricketts, 1937) and S. tetraptera

(Briggs & Taylor, 1938) of have been found to contain cytisine in its seeds,

while in S. microphylla it is also in its flowers and in its leaves (Kinghorn,

et al., 1982) and in S. tetraptera it is also found in the bark (Briggs et al.,

1975). It is also known that nectar from the honey of S. microphylla has a

narcotic effect on honey bees (Clinch et al., 1972). Another New Zealand

Sophora, the Prostrate Kowhai, Sophora prostrata, contains small amounts of

N-methylcytisine and larger amounts of cytisine and matrine (Peña & Cassels,

1996).

Another Australian species likely to contain cytisine is Sophora howinsula

(W.Oliver)P.Green, which is closely related to S. toromiro and S. tetraptera

(Peña & Cassels, 1996).

In Easter Island of the South Pacific, there is a tree used in religious rites

(especially for its wood) where it is known as "tree of the Gods". This tree is

Sophora toromiro Skottsb., which became extinct on Easter Island by 1962,

however seeds of the last remaining tree were collected by Thor Heyerdahl and

sent to Europe. Descendants of this tree are being used in crossbreeding with

the remainder of the population that now lives in Melbourne Botanic Gardens (The

Age Newspaper, 26/11/98) or in Chile. The seeds of Sophora toromiro contains

N-methylcytisine and matrine with smaller amounts of cytisine, rhombifoline,

baptifoline as well as sophoranol in the occasionally specimen (Peña & Cassels,

1996).

The seeds of the Mescal Bean (S. secundiflora) was often made into a drink but

sometimes it was chewed. 1/4 bean or less is roasted near a fire until it turns

yellow, ground to meal, chewed and swallowed (Gottlieb, 1973).

and on ergot

The Paspalum Ergot has an globose sclerotia with a cream to grey or brown colour

with a rough texture. It has been found infesting native Paspalum grasses

Paspalum distichum, P. scrobiculatum L. (Simmons, 1966) and P. dilalatum Poiret

(Warcup & Talbot, 1981) but it is believed that it spread to Australia in 1935

which is the year it was first recorded in Australia (Langlon, 1952) and then it

was recorded in New Zealand in 1936 (Hopkirk, 1936). It has been recorded from

Queensland (Simmons, 1966) down through to South Australia (Warcup & Talbot,

1981) and all continents apart from Antarctica.

The Rye Ergot has an sub-cylindrical, elongated sclerotia with a purple-violet

colour and a length from 15 to 50 mm, depending on the grass ovary it is

infesting. It may be either native to Australia or an introduced species as it

has been found infesting several species of the native grasses such as

Microlaena stipoides (Labill.) R.Br. (Simmons, 1966), on Agropyron scabrum

(R.Br.) P.Beaur (Langlon, 1952) and also on Austrofestuca littoralis (Labill.)

Alexeev (Warcup & Talbot, 1981). It has been recorded from Queensland (Simmons,

1966) down through to South Australia (Warcup & Talbot, 1981), New Zealand and

even been seen on the sub-Antarctic islands (Parbery pers comm.) as well as

across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

In New Zealand there are other species of introduced grass infecting fungi

(Latch et al., 1984) which contain psychoactive ergoline alkaloids, these

include Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones & Gams (Porter, 1995) which grows

on Festuca arundinaceae Schreber and Epichloe typhina (Pers. ex Fr.) Tulasne

which grows on F. rubra L. (Porter et al., 1981). Acremonium coenophialum

contains ergine as well as ergovaline (Porter, 1995) also with various clavine

alkaloids such as chanoclavine, agroclavine and penniclavine (Lyons et al.,

1986). Epichloe typhina has been found to contain the psychoactive ergoline

alkaloid elymoclavine along with penniclavine, agroclavine, festuclavine,

ergovaline and ergovalinine (Porter et al., 1981).

[waterdragon]

well what an orgy of info, this book seems a bit well researched - something i need to get my hands on. any clues as to the identity of this book that you're looking to publish torsten?

[Torsten]

Originally posted by waterdragon:

well what an orgy of info, this book seems a bit well researched - something i need to get my hands on.

It will be the second or third Wandjina release, so still a little while off. It is such a beauty that i want to practice first

any clues as to the identity of this book that you're looking to publish torsten?

well, it's a first edition, so there is no actual existing 'identity'. It's not quite ready yet, which is good, cos I am not ready for IT yet either.

[Rev]

Edited April 21, 2007 by Rev

[Torsten]

He's an ethnobotanist, not a botanist. However, thank you for pointing it out. I am sure once the book is finished it will be handed to a few competent people (in their respective fields) to make sure there are a minimum of mistakes and obsolete info.

I've set some very high standards in the statements I made some time ago at EA forums about the general quality of ethnobotany books, and I fully intend to operate at that level.

[Rev]

Edited April 21, 2007 by Rev

[somnif]

Torsten:

He's an ethnobotanist, not a botanist.

...

If it is who I am thinking of...

I am pretty sure he has studied botany at some

point; anyhow since the manuscript has been in the

works for over 10 years, it probably should be

looked over by someone with a grasp of the latest

twists and turns in taxonomic terms.

It really would be a great publication to see the

light of day (I had just about given up) -

meticulously referenced, it will make an excellent

reference book for Australian ethnobotany; much

more of an academic work than a 'scene book'.

[ 07. February 2003, 04:27: Message edited by: somnif ]

[Torsten]

You're right somnif about him having done botany I think. I forgot about the fish

And yes, it will get a thorough review/update by the author before we go any further.

Rev - I wouldn't even go as far as criticising trout's style. I think anyone who does as much research as trout is already miles ahead of 95% of the ethnobotany publications.

Sadly the thread at EA didn't achieve much and there is little point at looking for it. I was hounded down for my comments, being accused of arrogance and ... what the hell, I don't even know what their problem was. It just turned into a bash torsten free for all.

Bottom line is that I would not publish a book that does not stand up to peer review as I don't believe in supporting authors and researchers who do sloppy work and who try to cash in on that sloppy work.

[Rev]

Torsten:

Rev - I wouldn't even go as far as criticising trout's style. I think anyone who does as much research as trout is already miles ahead of 95% of the ethnobotany publications.

.

You have point there

The theoretical analogue combinations that have been suggested are so far advance d compared to whats actually been tried itll take lifetimes to catch up with applied research

I guess im overly critical because in a former life - pre-EB - i was very into Permaculture and i studied aquaculture for 2 years too, i saw the same thing happen there

Those who knew rarely got around to collating and presenting their research and those who didnt know kept rehashing untested concepts and republishing

I guess its a universal phenomenon - those who can, do and those who cant, teach

Im going to start a new thread to ask what are peoples favourite EB books

[ 07. February 2003, 19:57: Message edited by: reville ]

[Slarty Fart Blaster]

I think Trout's Notes are excellent.

 

quote:

---

More than

you

need to know ?

---

But then i'm not an academic. I would recommend them for anyones EB library.

www.troutsnotes.com

[Slarty Fart Blaster]

opps double post

[ 07. February 2003, 21:03: Message edited by: Slarty Fart Blaster ]

[spiders]

no one cares about those beautiful shrooms...

[Rev]

Edited April 21, 2007 by Rev

[spiders]

And people keep discovering more and more...

[mindperformer]

A Maori shaman showed me this fern in the Whirinaki forest and explained that its roots are used as potent pain killer, like morphine:

Ii could be Microsorum pustulatum, which is also used in traditional medicine with antibacterial effects:

http://researcharchi....pdf?sequence=1

It has many relatives:

the gorgeous looking Microsorum thailandicum with a blue iridescent shine (in the Pollia- thread)

In Microsorum membranifolium and M. scolopendria there were found high concentration of Ecdysteroids, which are promising as muscle growth accelerants.

Edited October 22, 2012 by mindperformer

[bogfrog]

What a delectable thread to be ressurected!

Being south island born and bred, needless to say i'm over the moon to see such valuable info.

I'll be straight back to the computer as soon as i finish my exam for some extramural study haha.

Mindperformer:

Maori shaman aye? I am glad to hear they are still practising traditional medicine, i have an insatiable desire to learn as much as i can about Maori ethnobotany and spirituallity.

They were and still are a race of incredibly onto it people.

Sadly much ethnobotanical knowledge was lost with the colonial take over.

Much of what remains is obscure even amoung their own society :-(

I have heard the tuber of 'Renga renga', or NZ rock lilly was also utilised during funerals to make connection with the spirit world to ensure safe passage for the departing soul.

[mindperformer]

no it wasn't aye, but Rui Kohiti and he showed me some plants in the Whirinaki forest near Rotorua

The Renga Renga would be interesting to be explored

[gtarman]

And 9 years down the track...did the book get published? Has the mystery of Keketuwai been cracked?

And mp, "aye" is just a figure of speech in kiwi-land...they just add it to the end of statements and questions for some reason. Kinda pointless aye

[bℓσωηG]

yeah aye

[Stillman]

All north QLDer's finish a sentence with "aye" so not just kiwi specific.

[bℓσωηG]

yeah nah