Explore every episode of the podcast Herbarium of the Bizarre

Anyone feel like starting a campaign to make tomatoes the national fruit?

Music by James Milor on Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.arborday.org/perspectives/americas-national-tree-mighty-oak
• https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/159/text
• https://www.congress.gov/committee-report/108th-congress/house-report/689/1
• https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13097
• Dirksen and the Marigold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwogofdiGys&t=158s
• https://www.nybg.org/planttalk/elizabeth-brittons-roses-campaigning-for-the-national-flower/
• https://www.history.com/articles/oak-tree-national-tree-of-united-states-of-america
• https://extension.psu.edu/the-national-tree-and-national-floral-emblem-of-the-united-states
• https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/gardening-basics/national-flower-bird-tree-united-states/
• https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-flower/rose
• https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-tree/mighty-oak-tree
• https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title36-section303&num=0&edition=prelim

Attendees at the Exotic and Carnivorous Plant Expo join the podcast to talk about their own favorite bizarre plants. I intended to post this episode a week or so after the expo, but then I caught the con crud from hell at ConCarolinas and have only just now gotten my voice back.

Music provided by James Milor from Pixabay

Additional Information:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/overview

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-woodcock

https://www.sandiegocarnivorousplantsociety.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmecophyte

Come see me at the Exotic and Carnivorous Plant Expo this weekend: https://www.carnivorousplants.org/about/CEPExpoDetails

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.burymeinthebog.com/grow/rainbow-plants
• https://botany.org/home/resources/carnivorous-plants-insectivorous-plants/byblis-the-rainbow-plants.html
• https://www.carnivorousplants.org/grow/guides/Byblis
• The carnivorous rainbow plant Byblis filifolia Planch. secretes digestive enzymes in response to prey capture independently of jasmonates by A Pavlovič, et al. (2025). Plant Biology, 27(4), 549–557. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.70029
• Chemonastic Stalked Glands in the Carnivorous Rainbow Plant Byblis gigantea LINDL. (Byblidaceae, Lamiales) by Simon Poppinga, et al. (2022). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(19), 1151. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911514
• https://www.sarracenia.com/pubs/byblis.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byblis_(plant)

I learned some lessons from the 2024 discoveries episode, and I think this one is not quite so messy. I also managed to contain it all in one episode this time!

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.calacademy.org/press/releases/california-academy-of-sciences-and-partners-uncover-new-sunflower-species-in-big-bend
• Damian Carrington (2026, Jan 7). Fly-arousing orchid and zombie fungus among 2025 botanical and fungal finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/08/fly-arousing-orchid-zombie-fungus-among-new-plant-fungus-species-finds-2025
• Aaron P. Davis, et al. (2005). Galanthus subalpinus (Amaryllidaceae): A new species of snowdrop from the Western Balkans. Kew Bulletin, 80, 169-175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10239-8
• James Doubek (2025, Feb 26). Meet the 'wooly devil,' a new plant species discovered in Big Bend National Park. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5308248/wooly-devil-new-species-genus-big-bend
• Gabriel A. Iturralde, et al. (2025) Telipogon cruentilabrum (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae): A new species from mid-western Ecuador, long misidentified as T. dendriticus. Phytotaxa, 694(3), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.694.3.6 [Abstract]
• https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/top-10-species-2025
• Yee Wen Low, et al. (2025). Eugenia venteri (sect. Jossinia, Myrtaceae): A new flagelliflorous tree from the rainforest of Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Kew Bulletin, 80, 733-743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10264-1
• https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/new-plant-species-discovered-in-big-bend.htm
• https://www.nps.gov/im/chdn/ecoregion.htm
• Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza and John R. I. Wood (2025). Two new species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae) from Peru. Kew Bulletin, 80, 983-991. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12225-025-10334-4

Merry Christmas? Happy New Year? Happy Holidays! That covers it. Personally, I celebrated four this year. Enjoy this more-or-less seasonal episode about the New Zealand Christmas Tree.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay.

Information provided by:

• https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/pohutukawa-flame-of-the-north/
• https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/pohutukawa/
• https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/pohutukawa-trees
• https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/metrosideros-excelsa/
• https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-forgotten-pandemic/
• https://www.tanestrees.org.nz/species-profiles/pohutukawa/
• https://help.treesthatcount.co.nz/en/articles/8584808-pohutukawa
• https://meaningoftrees.com/2019/02/05/pohutukawa-metrosideros-excelsa/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%8Dhutukawa

Pass the cranberry sauce! Did you read that to the tune of the Bob’s Burgers song? I hope so.

Music by James Milor

Information provided by:

• https://www.cranberryinstitute.org/cranberry-health-research
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/the-botany-behind-why-cranberries-became-a-thanksgiving-staple
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://www.cranberries.org/
• Herbs at a Glance: A Quick Guide to Herbal Supplements by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009)
• Cranberry: Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and impact on human health by Boris V. Nemzer, et al. (2022). Molecules, 27(5), pg. 1503. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051503
• Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)
• The Kitchen Witch Companion by Sarah Robinson and Lucy H. Pearce (2023)
• Domestication, genetics, and genomics of the American cranberry by Nicholi Vorsa and Juan Zalapa in Plant Breeding Reviews, Volume 43 by Irwin Goldman (Ed.) (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119616801.ch8

Sorry it sounds so echo-y. I’m dog/housesitting for my parents, so I’m not in my usual recording space. Ruby the Beagle says “hi.”

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Diphylleia grayi-inspired stretchable hydrochromics with large optical modulation in the visible–near-infrared region by Guofa Cai, et al. (2018). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 10(43), pg. 37685-37693. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b12490 [Abstract]
• https://www.thespruce.com/skeleton-flower-plant-profile-4802581
• Cytological effects of chemicals on tumors, XXV: Further studies on the effect of Diphylleia grayi extracts on tumor cells by Kohtaro Yamamoto and Yanagi Kimura (1964). Journal of the Faculty of Hokkaido University, Series 6 - Zoology, 15(3), pg. 347-352.
• https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/skeleton-flowers-how-does-this-white-flower-turn-transparent-in-the-rain.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphylleia_grayi
• https://www.bhg.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-skeleton-flower-8553286
• Diphylleia grayi-inspired intelligent hydrochromic adhesive film by Gang Yeol Yoo, et al. (2020). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12(44), pg. 49982-49991. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c13185 [Abstract]
• Diphylleia Grayi-inspired intelligent temperature-responsive transparent nanofiber membranes by Cengceng Zhao, et al. (2024). Nano-Micro Letters, 16(65). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01279-z

There seems to be disagreement whether it ought to be spelled narrow-leafed or narrow-leaved. Neither is easy to say, for the record.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-17100574
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/120221-oldest-seeds-regenerated-plants-science
• https://www.livescience.com/2602-extinct-tree-christ-time-rises-dead.html
• https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/02/22/3436826.htm
• Germination, genetics, and growth of an ancient date seed by Sarah Sallon, et al. (2008). Science, 320(5882), pg. 1464. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153600 [Abstract]
• https://www.selinawamucii.com/plants/caryophyllaceae/silene-stenophylla/
• Exceptional seed longevity and robust growth: Ancient Sacred Lotus from China by J. Shen-Miller, et al. (1995). American Journal of Botany, 82(11), pg. 1367-1380. https://doi.org/10.2307/2445863
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_viable_seed
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silene_stenophylla
• Regeneration of whole fertile plants from 30,000-y-old fruit tissue buried in Siberian permafrost by Svetlana Yashina, et al. (2012). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(10), pg. 4008-4013. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1118386109

This episode ended up being way more involved that I expected, but I learned so much, and I thought I knew Dutch Elm Disease pretty well already. Hopefully, y’all will learn a lot, too.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/pest_pathogen/dutch-elm-disease-html/
• https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/pdlessons/Pages/DutchElm.aspx
• https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/pest-and-disease-resources/dutch-elm-disease-ophiostoma-novo-ulmi/
• A Dictionary of Plant Pathology by Paul Holliday (1989)
• https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/native-elm-bark-beetle
• https://themanitoban.com/2009/11/dutch-elm-vaccine-tested-in-winnipeg/530/
• https://www.unisci.com/stories/20013/0828015.htm
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_elm_disease

We will resume my trilogy of invasive plants next week once I find my mind. Has anyone seen it?

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/running-ponies/animal-or-vegetable-legend-of-the-vegetable-lamb-of-tartary/
• The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: A curious fable of the cotton plant by Henry Lee (1887)
• https://www.nybg.org/poetic-botany/barometz/
• https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/curious-tale-of-vegetable-lamb
• The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary by Alice F. Tryon (1957). American Fern Journal, 47(1), pg. 1-7.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_Lamb_of_Tartary

Don't worry, I'm okay. My car is very much not okay, unfortunately.

If you’re thinking of planting a Privet, you should pivot and plant something else. Well, if you live in North or Central America, anyway, but that doesn’t rhyme.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.lewisginter.org/chinese-privet/
• https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/chinese-privet
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ligustrum-japonicum/
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ligustrum-sinense/
• https://triangleland.org/company-news/species-spotlight-chinese-privet
• https://www.se-eppc.org/manual/privet.html
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligustrum_sinense

I have a complicated relationship with this stinky dead fish tree.

For your entertainment, a Reddit thread about Bradford Pears: https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/comments/1bn1wpv/why_bradford_pear_is_so_hated/

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://indiananativeplants.org/2013/callery-pear-a-bad-bad-plant-in-bloom-right-now/
• https://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/trees/bradford-pear-tree/
• https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/callery-pear-bradford-pear
• https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/callery-pear
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pyrus-calleryana/
• https://extension.umd.edu/resource/bradford-pear/
• https://www.invasivespeciesva.org/species/callery-pear
• https://dyckarboretum.org/callery-pear-cut-them-down/

Meet the world’s biggest (and possibly stinkiest) flowers.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/03/world/worlds-largest-flower-indonesia-scn-trnd/index.html
• https://www.britannica.com/plant/Rafflesia
• Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larson (2018)
• https://www.kew.org/plants/rafflesia-arnoldi
• https://parasiticplants.siu.edu/Rafflesiaceae/Raff.arn.page.html
• https://richardniesenbaum.com/plants-people-2/rafflesia/
• https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2017/02/colossal-blossom
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia

If you’re in the U.S., I hope you try and have a happy 4th of July. And as a public safety professional in my day job, I must remind you to please not start any fires or injure anyone with fireworks. ‘Kay thanks.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.popsci.com/environment/fairy-lantern-japan-extinct-fungi/
• https://www.discoverwildlife.com/plant-facts/thismia-malayana-facts
• https://www.livescience.com/61925-fairy-lantern-plant-rainforest.html
• https://phys.org/news/2024-02-species-story.html
• Rediscovery of Thismia neptunis (Thismiaceae) after 151 years by Michal Sochor, et al. (2018). Phytotaxa, 340(1), 71-78. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.340.1.5
• Fairy lanterns in focus by Chris J. Thorogood and Siti-Munirah Mat Yunoh (2021). Plants People Planet, 3(6), 680-684. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10217
• Fairy lanterns may lure pollinators by mimicking fungi by Kenji Suetsugu and Masahiro Sueyoshi (2021). Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 19(4), 233. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2342
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thismia
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thismia_rodwayi

Be a lavender menace.

Music provided by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://bouqs.com/blog/capricorn-birth-flower/
• https://www.britannica.com/plant/lavender
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lavender-Scare
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-earth Enchantments by Ellen Dugan (2016)
• https://www.hrc.org/resources/lavender-graduation
• The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Greatest Drinks by Amy Stewart (2013)
• https://www.osgf.org/blog/2020/6/29/vi0rxptrmtd4v8n2epbm3otxj56z5o
• Lavender and the nervous system by Peir Hossein Koulivand, Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri, and Ali Gorji (2013). Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
• Herbs at a Glance: A Quick Guide to Herbal Supplements by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009)
• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/lavender
• https://daily.jstor.org/four-flowering-plants-decidedly-queered/
• A Floral Grimoire: Plant charms, spells, recipes, and rituals by Patricia Telesco (2024)
• Nature’s Remedies: An Illustrated Guide to Healing Herbs by Jean Willoughby (2016)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandula
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_Scare

Support the Pansy Project and get a cute shirt: https://birdscanflystore.com/collection/the-pansy-project/

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://bouqs.com/blog/capricorn-birth-flower/
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Garden Witch’s Herbal by Ellen Dugan (2011)
• https://www.osgf.org/blog/2020/6/29/vi0rxptrmtd4v8n2epbm3otxj56z5o
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/plants-LGBTQ-symbols
• https://daily.jstor.org/four-flowering-plants-decidedly-queered/
• A Floral Grimoire: Plant charms, spells, recipes, and rituals by Patricia Telesco (2024)
• https://thepansyproject.com/about/
• https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/pansies/

Roses are (sometimes) red,

Violets are (sometimes) blue,

And if you ask Sappho,

Violets are gay, too!

Happy Pride Month 🌈

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://bouqs.com/blog/violet-flower-meaning-symbolism/
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://www.osgf.org/blog/2020/6/29/vi0rxptrmtd4v8n2epbm3otxj56z5o
• Wild Flowers of North Carolina and Surrounding Areas by William S. Justice and C. Ritchie Bell (1979)
• https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/blog/2021/12/21/queer-botany-the-sapphic-violet/
• Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)
• PinkNews. (27 November 2024). Violet necklaces have become a sought-after lesbian accessory, but what is the history behind the trend? [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC49dz8thuV/?igsh=X2xVeEQ2Y0Jl
• https://daily.jstor.org/four-flowering-plants-decidedly-queered/
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001)
• Collins Gem: Wild Flowers by Martin Walter (2002)
• https://wildfoods4wildlife.com/monographs/violets/
• https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/sweet-violet/

These extra-special trees are similar to both conifers and fruit trees, but they are actually something much, much older. Ginkgoes are the only tree species around today that was alive at the same time as dinosaurs! 🦕 How cool is that?

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ginkgo-biloba-benefits
• Medicinal Plants at Home by Maria Transito Lopez Luengo and Carlota Manez Ariso (2015)
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-ginkgo/art-20362032
• Herbs at a Glance: A Quick Guide to Herbal Supplements by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009)
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/guest-blog/botanical-sexism-cultivates-home-grown-allergies/
• https://www.obga.ox.ac.uk/article/seeds-from-hiroshima-atomic-bomb-survivor-trees-planted-at-oxford-botanic-garden
• https://tylerarboretum.org/ginkgo-biloba-an-ancient-species-in-a-modern-world/
• https://arboretum.ua.edu/whats-growing-on/ginkgo-ginkgo-biloba/
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba
• Nature’s Remedies: An Illustrated Guide to Healing Herbs by Jean Willoughby (2016)

Is it really possible that these trees walk around the rainforest like the Ents in Lord of the Rings?

I forgot to mention that there won’t be an episode next week. Here’s your one-week notice that I’ll be on vacation next Friday. ✈️

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Stilt-Root Walking by an Iriateoid Palm in the Peruvian Amazon by John H. Bodley and Foley C. Benson (1980). Biotropica, 12(1), pg. 67-71. https://doi.org/10.2307/2387775
• https://www.sciencealert.com/a-persistent-rumor-suggests-this-tree-can-walk-around-but-is-it-true
• The function of stilt roots in the growth strategy of Socratea exorrhiza (Arecaceae) at two neotropical sites by Gregory R. Goldsmith and Rakan A. Zahawi (2007). International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v55i3-4.5955 [Abstract]
• https://www.treeres.com/the-walking-tree-phenomenon-unraveling-the-secrets-of-socratea-exorrhiza/
• https://www.natureandculture.org/directory/walking-palm-trees/
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratea_exorrhiza
• The epiphyte vegetation of the palm Socratea exorrhiza: Correlations with tree size, tree age and bryophyte cover by Gerhard Zotz and Birgit Vollrath (2003). Journal of Tropical Ecology, 19, pg. 81-90. DOI: 10.1017/S0266467403003092
• Tropical Plants of Costa Rica by Willow Zuchowski (2007)

Today, at long last, I am revealing my favorite fact about witches’ flying ointment. 🧹

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/witches-garden/witch-garden-feature/witches-garden-plants/henbane/
• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://www.britannica.com/plant/henbane
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larson (2018)
• Herbal Magick: A guide to herbal enchantments, folklore, and divination (2nd ed.) by Gerina Dunwich (2019)
• https://www.europeana.eu/en/exhibitions/magical-mystical-and-medicinal/henbane
• https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/henban23.html
• https://sites.evergreen.edu/plantchemeco/henbane-medicine-andor-magic/
• Collins Gem: Wild Flowers by Martin Walter (2002)
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethnobotany/Mind_and_Spirit/henbane.shtml
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyoscyamus_niger

A.k.a. the California Pitcher Plant or the Cobra Lily. It’s not a lily, not even a little bit, but it does look surprisingly serpentine. 🐍

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• The cobra's tongue: Rethinking the function of the “fishtail appendage” on the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica by David W. Armitage (2016). American Journal of Botany, 103(4), pgs. 780-785. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500524
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/darlingtonia_californica.shtml
• https://www.kqed.org/science/12317/predatory-plant-lure-of-the-cobra-lily
• https://www.carnivorousplantresource.com/the-plants/cobra-lily/
• Pollination Biology of Darlingtonia californica (Sarraceniaceae), the California Pitcher Plant by George A. Meindl and Michael R. Mesler (2011). Madroño, 58(1), pgs. 22-31. [Abstract] https://doi.org/10.3120/0024-9637-58.1.22
• https://www.cnps.org/citizen-science/carnivorous-plants-in-meadows-and-fens-6749
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlingtonia_californica

The carnivorous plants are back, and this time we’re looking at my favorite bug traps, Sundews!

I forgot to mention in the intro that I’m going to be at RavenCon in Richmond, VA this weekend—actually, as this airs, I’m probably already on my way—and AtomaCon in North Charleston, SC next weekend. Come say “hi!”

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Sundews
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera
• Nanofibers and nanoparticles from the insect-capturing adhesive of the Sundew (Drosera) for cell attachment by Mingjun Zhang, et al. (2010). Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 8(20). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-3155-8-20

Watch the real-life Zombie Fungus in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://screenrant.com/girl-all-gifts-fungal-infection-hungries-explained/
• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/cordyceps
• Interkingdom host jumping underground: Phylogenetic analysis of entomoparasitic fungi of the genus Cordyceps by Naruo Nikoh and Takema Fukatsu (2000). Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17(4), pg. 629-638. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026341
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/but-not-simpler/the-fungus-that-reduced-humanity-to-the-last-of-us/
• https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/cordyceps
• Unique bioactives from Zombie Fungus (Cordyceps) as promising multitargeted neuroprotective agents by Himadri Sharma, Niti Sharma, and Seong Soo A An (2023). Nutrients, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010102
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cordyceps-benefits
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps

Sometimes plants come in very silly shapes.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://sarracenia.proboards.com/thread/3891/nepenthes-bokorensis-wild
• Species composition of ant prey of the pitcher plant Nepenthes bokorensis Mey (Nepenthaceae) in Phnom Bokor National Park, Cambodia by Shingo Hosoishi, et al. (2012). Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 5(1), pg. 3-7.
• Report of carnivorous plants (Droseraceae, Lentibulariaceae and Nepenthaceae) from seasonally dry savannahs in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia by Pierre-Olivier Maquart, et al. (2021). Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 14(1), pg. 1-4.
• Nepenthes bokorensis, a new species of Nepenthaceae from Cambodia by Francois Sockhom Mey (2009). Carniflora Australis, 7(1), pg. 6-15.
• Nepenthes holdenii (Nepenthaceae), a new species of pyrophytic pitcher plant from the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia (2010) by Francois Stockhom Mey, et al. In: Carnivorous Plants in their Habitats by Stewart McPherson.
• https://www.livescience.com/carnivorous-penis-pitcher-plant-picked
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_bokorensis

While researching this episode, I stumbled across an Insta called @horrorcultureplants that I highly recommend giving a follow.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. by Lubomír Adamec (2018). Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 35, pg. 8-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2018.10.001
• Studies on the leaf movement of Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., part I: Process and mechanism of the movement by Joji Ashida (1932). Memoirs of the College of Science, Kyoto Imperial University, Series B, 9(3), pg. 143-246.
• https://www.carnivorousplantresource.com/the-plants/waterwheel-plant/
• Fossil Aldrovanda by John D. Degreef (1997). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, 26(3), pg. 93-97. https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn263.jd244
• Prey capture analyses in the carnivorous aquatic waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., Droseraceae) by Simon Poppinga, et al. (2019). Scientific Reports, 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54857-w
• “This Carnivorous Plant Invaded New York. That May Be Its Only Hope.” by Mario Renault (13 August 2019). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/science/waterwheel-plants-carnivorous.html
• How the carnivorous waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) snaps by Anna S. Westermeier, et al. (2018). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1878). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0012
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldrovanda_vesiculosa

"They took all the trees, and put ‘em in a tree museum…”

—Counting Crows

That will kind of make sense in about 10 seconds. I should totally make a playlist for this podcast. Drop your recommendations in the comments.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://extension.umd.edu/resource/serviceberry-early-flowering-maryland-native-tree/
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amelanchier/
• Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)
• The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl (2023)
• Magnificent Trees of Indiana by Caroll D. Ritter (2022)
• Trees of the Carolinas by Stan Tekiela (2007)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelanchier

I would like to introduce you to a tree that you can eat, brush your teeth with, and also use to make nanoparticles.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World by Akbar S. Ahmed (1999)
• Salvadora persica L. Toothbrush Tree with health benefits and industrial applications: An updated evidence-based review by Mohamed Farag, et al. (2021). Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 29(7), pg. 751-763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2021.05.007
• Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)
• https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Salvadora+persica
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvadora_persica

The Snowflake Fairy

Robed in white comes Snowflake Fairy,

braving wintry winds and ice,

pearly "Maid of February,"

whom the glistening frosts entice.

Gladly welcome Snowflake Fairy,

on your terrace give her room.

She alone in February

braves the cold to shed her bloom.

—Elizabeth Gordon

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://www.bloomandwild.com/the-blog/snowdrop-flowers-meaning
• https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/plant_profiles/snowdrops
• Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larson (2018)
• Galanthus trojanus: a new species of Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) from north-western Turkey by Aaron P. Davis and Neriman Ozhatay (2001). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 137, pg. 409-412. DOI: 10.1006/boj1.2001.048.
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77118772-1/general-information
• Galantamine for Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment by Clement Loy and Lon Schneider (2006). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001747.pub3
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/galanthus-nivalis/
• Homer's Moly identified as Galanthus nivalis L.: Physiologic antidote to stramonium poisoning by Andreas Plaitakis and Roger C. Duvoisin (1983). Clinical Neuropharmacology, 6(1), pg. 1-6. [Abstract].
• Collins Gem: Wild Flowers by Martin Walter (2002)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanthus
• https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/snowdrop/

I finally got to break out my Ancient Egyptian Herbal for this one!

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-benefits-of-moringa-oleifera
• Moringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application by Lakshmipriya Gopalakrishnan, Kruthi Doriya, and Devarai Santhosh Kumar (2016). Food Science and Human Wellness, 5(2), pg. 49-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2016.04.001
• Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)
• An Ancient Egyptian Herbal by Lise Manniche (2006)
• Traditional uses, pharmacological efficacy, and phytochemistry of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori: A review by Anndurai Senthilkumar, et al. (2018). Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, pg. 465. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00465
• https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Moringa+peregrina
• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-moringa
• The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: 25th Anniversary Edition by Valerie Ann Wormwood (2016)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_peregrina

Today is No-Buy Friday in the U.S. Aren’t you glad you can listen to this podcast for free? ;)

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• https://www.flowermeaning.com/bleeding-heart-flower-meaning/
• Wild Flowers of North Carolina and Surrounding Areas by William S. Justice and C. Ritchie Bell (1979)
• https://www.americanmeadows.com/content/perennials/bleeding-heart/all-about-bleeding-hearts
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dicentra/
• https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/293049/lamprocapnos-spectabilis/details
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicentra_formosa
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamprocapnos
• https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/bleeding-heart-dicentra-spectabilis/

Roses are red,

But can never be blue.

Thanks for listening,

Welcome back for part two!

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://bouqs.com/blog/roses-meaning-symbolism-what-roses-signify/
• https://www.britannica.com/plant/rose-plant
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-earth Enchantments by Ellen Dugan (2016)
• Herbal Magick: A guide to herbal enchantments, folklore, and divination (2nd ed.) by Gerina Dunwich (2019)
• Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright (2021)
• Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers by Marta McDowell (2023)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rosa/
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_symbolism

This episode appears not to have published last week when it was supposed to, and I don't know why. I'm sorry about that. It was finished and scheduled, but it still said "draft."

Today's topic is the Musk Plant. No relation to Elon. It’s a flower that smells like that stuff that’s in all the perfumes and colognes. Except, it doesn’t anymore, and that’s a mystery!

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Erythranthe%20moschata
• https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/mimulus/moschatus/
• The lost scent of Mimulus moschatus by W.B. Gourlay (1947). Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 72, pg. 285-287
• Lost fragrance of musk by Eric Hardy (1934). Nature, 134, pg. 327. https://doi.org/10.1038/134327c0
• The lost scent of Mimulus moschatus by J.P. Hudson (1948). Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 73, pg. 24-25
• The lost fragrance of musk. Nature, 134, pg. 54–55 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/134054a0
• The scent of Mimulus moschatus by H.N. Ridley (1947). Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 72, pg. 373
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001)
• The musk mystery: A suggestion by Sir W. Beach Thomas (15 November 1930). The Spectator, pg. 10
• Mimulus moschatus in Massachusetts by M. E. Ward (1904). Rhodora, 6(71), pg. 227-228 https://www.jstor.org/stable/23293612
• https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/erythranthe_moschata.htm
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythranthe_moschata

I’ve been humming “Every Rose Has it’s Thorn” for a week. 🌹🌹🌹

Music by James Milor and LuminousPresence from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• Herbaceous: Growing, Harvesting, and Using Herbs by Sarah Baker (ed.) (2003)
• https://bouqs.com/blog/roses-meaning-symbolism-what-roses-signify/
• https://www.britannica.com/plant/rose-plant
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright (2021)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rosa/
• The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Greatest Drinks by Amy Stewart (2013)
• Genetic relationships and evolution of old Chinese garden roses based on SSRs and chromosome diversity by Jiongrui Tan, et al. (2017) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15815-6
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_symbolism

Let’s take a Peyote trip (sort of)! 🌵 This cute, little, hallucinogenic cactus was one of the first plants I put on my list when I started this podcast. It's had a special place in my heart since my college ethnobotany class.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://apnews.com/article/indigenous-spirituality-protecting-peyote-sacred-d4855e65f6b011c6677d8050af9a2f8d
• Hallucinogenic drugs in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures by F.J. Carod-Artal (2015)
• “Peyote (Mescaline)” in Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine (2nd ed.) by F.J. Couper (2016)
• Chapter 33 - Abuse of Magic Mushroom, Peyote Cactus, LSD, Khat, and Volatiles by Amitava Dasgupta in Critical Issues in Alcohol and Drugs of Abuse Testing (2nd ed.) (2019)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lophophora-williamsii/
• “Peyote” in Encyclopedia of Toxicology (3rd ed.) by C.M. Stork and S.M. Schreffler (2014)
• The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Greatest Drinks by Amy Stewart (2013)
• “Drug Fact Sheet: Peyote and Mescaline” from U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (2020)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote

This plant is deadly poisonous. But there seems to be some disagreement on how deadly, which seems like something that would be easy to come to a conclusion on. Just don’t eat it.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.jeremybartlett.co.uk/2017/01/24/corncockle-agrostemma-githago/
• https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/488938/Poisonous-Corncockle-spotted-in-the-UK
• Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright (2021)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/agrostemma-githago/
• https://pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Agrostemma+githago
• https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/corn_cockle.htm
• Phytochemistry and biological activities of Agrostemma genus: A review by Aleksander Smakosz, Adam Matkowski, & Izabela Nawrot-Hadzik (2024) https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121673
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrostemma_githago

You remember that time I forgot to plug my microphone in? 😅 Well, I didn’t do that again, but I think I didn’t have the recording settings correct because the audio sounds like it recorded through the laptop mic. Which is to say, it's terrible. The script will be publicly available on Patreon, for free, for anyone who has trouble hearing/understanding this one.

That aside, this week, we’re going to take a shallow dive into a very large and diverse genus of plants by meeting three of its most popular species.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

“Plant Guide: Indian Tobacco” by M. Kat Anderson, Natural Resources Conservation Service Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023) https://www.britannica.com/plant/Lobelia https://npcweb.org/underfoot-indian-tobacco-lobelia-inflata/ Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014) Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014) Wild Flowers of North Carolina and Surrounding Areas by William S. Justice and C. Ritchie Bell (1979) National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobelia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobelia_inflata

Fun Fact: Sweet Gum seeds were carried onboard the space shuttle in 1984. The seeds were brought back down to earth and planted, and the trees survive to this day.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)
• Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
• https://americanorchard.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/the-most-dangerous-tree-in-the-suburbs/
• Kill the flu with this common backyard tree from Legacy Wilderness Academy (15 July 2024). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YGnksW_adH8
• Sweetgum: An ancient source of beneficial compounds with modern benefits by Jody M. Lingbeck, et al. (2015) https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.156307
• https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/treetalk/ecobot-sweetgum
• Magnificent Trees of Indiana by Caroll D. Ritter (2022)
• Trees of the Carolinas by Stan Tekiela (2007)
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar

Let me tell you a little story about how star slime took over the world.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2115
• https://www.britannica.com/science/Nostoc
• https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/nostoc/
• https://themeaningofwater.com/2024/06/02/when-a-cyanobacteria-takes-over-the-world/
• https://www.plant-lore.com/plantofthemonth/nostoc-commune/
• https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/nostoc-commune-star-jelly-zzs2rwhrb
• https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/nostoc_a_green_jelly_like_substance_growing_in_lawns

Happy Holidays! This tree tastes like gingerbread!

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://500wordsmag.com/food/everything-you-need-to-know-about-doum-palm-fruit/
• Influence of doum (Hyphaene thebaica L.) flour addition on dough mixing properties, bread quality and antioxidant potential by Waleed Aboshora, et al. (2015) https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-2063-1
• https://infonet-biovision.org/trees/doum-palm
• Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)
• https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hyphaene+thebaica
• https://shevaundoherty.com/the-fruits-of-doum/
• https://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Hyphaene_thebaica
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyphaene_thebaica

It’s festive Friday the 13th! Today we’re looking at English Ivy, a plant that makes me want to rage.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (1985)
• Garden Witch’s Herbal by Ellen Dugan (2009)
• Herbal Magick: A Guide to Herbal Enchantments, Folklore, and Divination by Gerina Dunwich (2019)
• The attachment strategy of English ivy: a complex mechanism acting on several hierarchical levels by Björn Melzer, et al. (2010) https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2010.0140
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hedera-helix/
• https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/english_ivy.htm
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedera_helix

I’m returning to my tradition of wintry and holiday-themed plants for December. You can call it a tradition once you’ve done it two years in a row, right? First up is Holly, which I’ve always considered a bush, but apparently it’s a tree? Maybe it’s just a matter of perspective.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.cloudforests.ie/blog/the-holly-tree
• Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (1985)
• Garden Witch’s Herbal by Ellen Dugan (2009)
• https://treesforlife.org.uk/into-the-forest/trees-plants-animals/trees/holly/holly-mythology-and-folklore/
• https://www.moonfallmetaphysical.com/s/stories/holly-uses-in-witchcraft
• https://www.thespruce.com/eighteen-species-holly-trees-and-shrubs-3269647
• https://thepresenttree.com/blogs/tree-meanings/holly-tree-meaning
• Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide by Stan Tekiela (2007)

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in the U.S., so Happy Harvest! This week, we’re reviewing the year in new botanical discoveries.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/new-fungus-species-at-worlds-end.htm
2. Exophiala chapopotensis sp. nov., an extremotolerant black yeast from an oil-polluted soil in Mexico; phylophenetic approach to species hypothesis in the Herpotrichiellaceae family by Martin R. Ide-Perez, et al. (2024) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297232
3. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-species-story.html
4. Simocybe ramosa, a new species from the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area by Libelje Mortier, et al. (2024) [Abstract] https://doi.org/10.1656/045.031.0108
5. https://blog.pensoft.net/2024/10/09/drone-discovers-new-plant-species-in-hawaii/
6. https://blog.pensoft.net/2024/03/07/five-new-plant-species-with-striking-flowers-discovered-in-china/
7. Revealing brownish Mycena diversity in China: New discoveries and taxonomic insights by Renxui Wei, et al. (2024) [Abstract] https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10060439

I broke out my Intro to Plant Biology textbook from college for this. I just want you to know that.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

• https://www.britannica.com/plant/banana-plant
• Raven Biology of Plants (8th ed.) by Evert Eichhorn (2013)
• A Dictionary of Plant Pathology by Paul Holliday (1989)
• https://asm.org/articles/2021/june/clone-wars-how-fusarium-fungi-control-the-banana-i
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/8-things-you-didnt-know-about-bananas
• PBS News Hour. (16 January 2016). Inside the fight to save the bananas we know (and love). [Video]
• https://www.thespruce.com/banana-tree-growing-profile-3269353
• https://www.inverse.com/science/artificial-banana-flavor-real-science
• https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.365.6450.207
• Tropical Plants of Costa Rica by Willow Zuchowski (2007)

If you’ve ever eaten a Pawpaw, let me you what you think it tastes like. Is it “sunny and electric”?

You can buy frozen Pawpaw pulp (and other forest-foraged goodies) from Integration Acres: https://integrationacres.com/

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.seriouseats.com/what-are-pawpaws-wild-fruit-midwest-how-to-prep-and-eat-pawpaws
2. https://wilkes.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/01/establishing-a-pawpaw-tree-in-your-backyard/
3. https://www.nps.gov/articles/pawpaw.htm
4. “Where’s a Good Giant Ground Sloth When You Need One?” by Carol Ann McCormick (March-April 2010) in North Carolina Botanical Garden Newsletter.
5. Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)
6. Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide by Stan Tekiela (2007)
7. The Appalachian Project. (2024, Sept. 21). The pawpaw, often referred to as "America's forgotten fruit," holds a special place in the history and culture of Appalachia. [Social media post] Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianProject/posts/pfbid02xtvQgHH4f4NDMw5gfh1RQn75ji8Bk89xHSPkZBZQUBL1Fwoty3TYVEXtAU6xXigEl
8. https://heritageconservancy.org/pawpaw-a-big-fruit-in-need-of-bigger-love/

Oh my stars, I finished editing early this time! Which is good, because I’ll be in Berlin next week, and I need to hustle to get an episode banked for when I’m gone.

Give a holler in the comments if you also have childhood head lice trauma. 🙃

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/594
2. Bitter apple (Citrullus colocynthis) - A review of a wild plant growing from Asia to Africa with high medicinal potentials by Sidra Jabeen, et al. (2017)
3. Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad (Bitter Apple Fruit): Promising Traditional Uses, Pharmacological Effects, Aspects, and Potential Applications by Qin-Yuan Li, et al. (2022) https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.791049
4. Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)
5. “Citrullus colocynthis: Colocynth, Bitter Apple, Bitter Gourd” by Abdalbasit Adam Mariod, et al. (2017) in Unconventional Oilseeds and Oil Sources
6. Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple): bioactive compounds, nutritional profile, nutraceutical properties and potential food applications: a review by Vasundhara Rao and Amrita Poonia (2023) https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-022-00118-9

Less late than last time! We are approaching being back on schedule! Moving into my first house is harder than I thought, y’all.

Recipe for Bengali Mashed Elephant Food Yam: https://seasonalflavours.net/ol-bhaate-elephant-foot-yam/#google_vignette

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/amorphophallus-paeoniifolius.html
2. https://conservatory.cals.cornell.edu/2016/05/18/featured-plant-amorphophallus-paeoniifolius/
3. A phytopharmacological review on an important medicinal plant - Amorphophallus paeoniifolius by Yadu Nandan Dey, et al. (2012) https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8520.100303
4. https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/collierco/2021/07/15/the-mystery-of-the-missing-amorphophallus/
5. https://garden.org/plants/view/177687/Elephant-Yam-Amorphophallus-paeoniifolius/
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphophallus_paeoniifolius

This time, we’re going to talk about something truly terrifying: medical fraud! 😱 But also a bleeding plant, because you have to have balance. And no, we are not going to talk about how late this episode is. In fact, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

If you want to know more about black salve, check out episode 253 of Sawbones (link below).

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.verywellhealth.com/bloodroot-4175168
2. Sanguinaria canadensis: Traditional medicine, phytochemical composition, biological activities, and current uses by Andrew Croaker, et al. (2016) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17091414
3. Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)
4. https://dsps.lib.uiowa.edu/roots/bloodroot/
5. Wild Flowers of North Carolina and Surrounding Areas by William S. Justice and C. Ritchie Bell (1979)
6. McElroy, Sydnee and McElroy, Justin. (2018, 16 November). Black Salve (No. 253). In Sawbones. Maximum Fun. https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/sawbones-black-salve/
7. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/bloodroot-sanguinaria-canadensis-l
8. https://extension.psu.edu/spooktacular-flora-and-fungi
9. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanguinaria

Special thanks to the production of the Little Shop of Horrors stage musical I saw at NC State when I was in college. That was a first class play. I say as someone who goes to the theater maybe twice a year. But I have seen my fair share of horror musicals. There are more of them than you think.

I don’t quite have my recording setup ready in the new house yet, so sorry the audio is kind of bleh.

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. https://www.carnivorousplantresource.com/the-plants/audrey-ii/
2. The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). Roger Corman [Dir.].
3. https://playbill.com/article/did-you-know-that-audrey-ii-in-little-shop-of-horrors-is-a-female-man-eating-plant
4. https://littleshop.fandom.com/wiki/Audrey_II
5. Little Shop of Horrors (1986). Frank Oz [Dir.].

a.k.a Monkshood or Aconite

This episode has it all: murderers, witches, werewolves, vampires, and tips for your poison garden! And it would have been on time, if not for Spectrum. 😒

Music by James Milor from Pixabay

Information provided by:

1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8492936.stm
2. https://www.chicagobotanic.org/blog/plants_and_gardening/monsters_magic_and_monkshood
3. https://www.britannica.com/plant/monkshood
4. Aconite poisoning by Thomas Y. K. Chan (2009) https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650902904407 [Abstract]
5. https://www.drugs.com/npp/aconite.html
6. Mode of antinociceptive and toxic action of alkaloids of Aconitum species by U. T. Gutser, et al. (1997) https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00005136 [Abstract]
7. Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright (2021)
8. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-toxic-root-president-four-patients-hospital-poisoning/31215533.html
9. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/aconitum-napellus-monkshood-wolfsbane-05-13-2016.aspx
10. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum