Five-Flavor Berry (Schisandra chinensis)
Five-Flavor Berry (Schisandra chinensis) Contributed by: Michael Wang Figure 1. Picture of a Five-Flavor berry plant (Kosalapov, 2009) Binomial Name Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. Synonyms Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) K.Koch Schisandra chinensis var. glabrata Schisandra chinensis var. typicaNakai Schisandra chinensis var. leucocarpa Schisandra chinensis var. Rubriflora Common name(s) of the plant Five-flavor berry, Chinese Magnolia vine, Magnolia berry, Wu wei zi, Gomishi, Ngu mie gee, Omicha, Omija. Botanical Description Figure 2. Picture of the structure of Schisandra chinensis. As shown, the...
Michael Wang /
January 3, 2024
The Lemon Tree
The Lemon Tree, Citrus x Meyeri Yu By: Rev. Dr. Karen Berry Powell (Karenberrypowell@gmail.com) I am pull. We want a lemon tree. I say, “Let’s buy a lemon tree. We’ll put it in a ceramic pot and keep it by the window. Exciting!” You rain on me. You respond, “I’m not sure. I don’t know anything about growing lemon trees. Besides, I must move the family to this other state first.” I am quiet, but there is something about...
Rev. Dr. Karen Berry Powell /
December 28, 2023
Tulsi Fudge
Tulsi Halwa/Fudge/Legiyam Sivagama Sikamani (Siva) Tulsi (Holy basil, Ocimum sanctum) will give better, bushy growth of leaves if the flowers or inflorescence are removed frequently. Removed flowers/inflorescences are dried for uses as tea, and to use in many health products. One such product is the tulsi fudge, which is an ideal cough suppressant or immunity booster. Here is the recipe for the Tusli Halwa/Fudge/Legiyam: Powder the leaves and flowers. Soak equal amounts of dates and raisins, or dates alone in...
Siva (Sivagama Sikamani) /
December 28, 2023
Ginkgo
The Ginkgo tree is easily identified by its unique fan-shaped leaves, and it is the sole remaining member of its evolutionary family, Ginkgoaceae (Isah 2015).
Sarah, Vanessa & Sofia /
November 1, 2021
Almond Burfi/Kathli/diamond using Monk Fruit Sugar
This volume brings an extensive article on Monk fruit sugar which goes well as on many sweets. Here is one which combines of the goodness of almond and the zero calorie monk fruit sugar
Sivagamasundhari Sikamani (Siva) /
November 1, 2021
Monk Sugar
Siraitia grosvenorii, a member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family,is an herbaceous perennial vine (Fig. 1) that grows from 2 to 5 meters by clinging tendrils.
Yan (Leanne) Li /
November 1, 2021
Role of local traditional healers in preservation of traditional knowledge and biodiversity conservation
Traditional healers are the acclaimed people in a tribal community who provide health care to the local people. Their putative knowledge of natural resources embodying plant and animal sources and mineral substances along with conventional social, ethical, religious, magico-religious and cultural, practices is well-recognized by the indigenous community. It is this competence of the healers that that they work as medical practitioners in the region and help in social, physical and mental well-being of the people in the society.
Dr. Pooja Gupta /
November 1, 2021
Know More About Plant Resource
This cross word puzzle deals with information about some plants of high economic importance.
Dr. Pooja Gupta /
November 1, 2021
Tomato Halwa (Sweet dish or Fudge)
Tomato Halwa is a lycopene enriched, no artificial sugar added halwa (fudge) made from tomatoes and fruits. Lycopene is an antioxidant which belongs to the carotenoid family of plant nutrients.
Sivagamasundhari Sikamani /
November 9, 2020
Book review: Indigenous Food Systems, Concepts, Cases and Conversations. Pricilla Settee and Shailesh Shukla, Eds. 2020. Canadian Scholars, Toronto.
The book focused on First Nations food systems within the political boundaries of today’s Canada, although the editors, who were also contributors, admitted that other Indigenous groups food systems also deserve careful attention and celebration.
Verena Kulak /
November 9, 2020
The Spiritual Significance of Medicinal Plants in Traditional Healing: My Personal Experience
What does it mean to heal? Common definitions refer to healing as restoring one’s health and making them well again. But how? How does one go about the process of healing?
Catriona Downie /
November 9, 2020
The Fascinating World of Plants
This quiz is not just a set of questions and answers or a small collection of facts which needs to be learnt but is about going a little beyond our regular knowledge and learning more about plants.
Dr. Pooja Gupta /
November 7, 2020
Purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata); an important plant in ethnomedicine
Passiflora incarnata, or purple passionflower, is one of about 520 species in the passionflower family worldwide
Andrea J Moreau /
November 7, 2020
Black Cumin: A miracle herb
“In the black seed is the medicine [to cure] every disease except death”–Arab Proverb
Emily McFaul /
November 7, 2020
The mythological connection between man and plants: from lores to drugs
A few plant genus/species which have a special place in collective beliefs are highlighted in this paper with reference to their medicinal values.
Anurabh Chakravarty and R. Gnanam /
November 7, 2020
