You are a bunch of swap addicts! And I'm not! Really! Anyway, I was looking if there was a subcategory on GW for medicinals because I have a whole book on Tropical medicinals written by a Tahitien (wow I'm reading his biography-here all the Tahitiens consider him their own , looks like one too, but he's French all the way, not even half!), an awsome pharmacist(who travelled extensively throughout the world as a French naval officer), who learned and recorded many of the ancient remedies of all of Polynesia (and from other parts of the world), from the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, and the windward and leeward islands, which include your more familiar Tahiti and Borabora respectively. So even when our old medicine men and women have mostly left this world, because of his efforts, we have many recorded for our posterity. And the plants he has highlighted are ones that you guys have been trading forever, and I want to leave a record somewhere , accessible to all about what treasures of pharmacology you are growing. For example, would you not want to know that your: Sesbanian grandiflora: .In India the leaves are used for head colds and migraines, but mashing them and inserting them in the nostrils. At first profuse secretion drainage, then the sinuses will fell better and the migraine is gone quickly. Hig in Vit A B1, C, young bugs are cooked and eaten by them and the Burmese, Vietnamese. Cassia alata: A paste made of dried leaves and water or fresh lime juice are rubbed vigourously on snake(cobra) bites in Malaysia, at the tikme the book was written it was among the promising plants that proved to retard cancerous tumors in rats. Cassia occidentalis: Decoction of leaves for fever, add some roots it also becomes a diuretic. The fresh seeds are poisonous but roasted become a caffeine free coffee. Tamarindus indica:boiled fruit pulp for fever and constipation. the decoction of leaves are applied topically for rectocilitis, enteritis. an infusion of leaves for conjontivitis, anticancer properties as the other cassias in mice. Averrhoa carambola(Star fruit) The juice of the green fruit rich in potassium oxalate is used to shine metal surfaces. Ficus prolixa (Banian):Chinese tradition says that leprosy is a boold disease activated by hot and humid climate where banians trees multiply, from their roots a poison is exuded to the soil, then to the water, and passes to humans. To diagnose leprosy, Chinese from the Yunan province would then confirm this diagnosis by making the afflicted with a decoction of its roots and wait for 10m days for the telling signs on the person's face. In polynesia the white tips of aerial roots are used for bronchitis ( I remember my mother sending me in the neigborhood to get some for my brother),gingivitis, for yeast infections,and anthrax! The subterean roots , a diuretic used especially for tuberculous persons Phyllanthus urinarius (red /puple), or amarus(white): considered the plant for ear problems, the whole plant is mashed and strained thru a coth the suc is then mixed with coconut oil(mono'i)heated over a lamp and applied around the ears nad sometimes on the calix (on the head)too. Shoot, I thought this is what you girls called the 'sensitive plant, but one of my seed packet called that mimosa pudica, so i' don't know if the two are the same, all i remember is that my mom would send me to get the former especially making sure it was mature enough to have the round nodes on the underside of each leaves and she even justused those little round nodes to make the remedy for my borthers ear infection, but she mixed the juice from them mixed with coconut oils and heated over a lamp then put the drops right in the affted ears and around the ears too. I am quite interested to draw the parallels between the uses of these tropicals with their uses here. Am I wasting my time for wanting to put this on GW?

Evening All! It was the same here, Tuesday, Margo, overcast and windy but the wind wasn't bitterly cold, which was a welcome change. My mini daffs are starting to bloom! The crocuses are still going strong. And I too am still tired. Bummer! I was reading back thro the posts on this thread and way back at the beginning of this swap, I promised to keep the Robin's flight plan posted. You may have noticed, I haven't done that! So here it is, a little late, and I'll try my best to keep it updated! I sent to Peggy in Washington; Peggy sent it on to Heidi in Nebraska; Heidi mailed it on to Annie in California; Annie mailed it to Ruth in Texas; Ruth sent it flying to Melinda in Arkansas; Melinda just sent it to Diane/Moonfire; Diane sends it to Jeanne/sandlapper_rose in South Carolina; Jeanne sends it to Alana/poisondartfrog in Kentucky; Alana sends it to Robin in Virginia; Robin sends it to Vina/flowergirl134 in New York; Vina sends it to Janine/Jaynine in Connecticut; Janine sends it to Suzanne/hibiscusfan in Ohio; Suzanne sends it to Margo/smitties in Ohio; and Margo will send it to Katie in Mississippi, who will send the completed poem back to me! Hope I didn't skip anyone! Have a great day tomorrow! Shirley!

Here is a cut/paste and my editing of the original list from way back in February! Back in the days when Mellen, Earthly, and Jan were a year younger! Sue, as hostess with the mostess can you just edit this so we are all up to date on our participants? Many thanks- you are doing a terrific job here. Here's the original list, updated from emails I've got from wonder hostess Sue\- and ready for editing as needed: Aprill 17th \- mellen May 22 \- earthly delight June 17th \- plantlady July 9th \- your host (skohler) TA DAA!!! Aug 30th\- Gardeningwithbaby out//bears15ne aka Ronda now in, then OUT. OMG! Djm Doris\*\* is now taking August! I think. Sept 3rd\- beth\_b\_Kodiak\-asks that boxes arrive 9/12\-15th. Oct 3rd \-Rewards1 Nov Hija\_de\_Lamdre Out// What's going on here? Holiday name drawing/exchange? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Dec 23Rd \- Gardeningnutinva out//Creekmom in\_\_right? Jan 16th \- Becksterca out/ Hummingbirddaisy aka Tina now in Feb 8th \-Shellyraymom Mar 19th \- poochella\- oh so patiently waiting : ) That's my editing of Sue's original signer uppers. Please update us if that's wrong. \*\*I think DJM's city needs to be changed to "Mt.P..." from "My P..." that I got in email. A thousand thanks for keeping us going Sue! Poochella

Tracy. I can't wait to see what goodies you have in store for me! Tuesday mailing would be good because it's hot here and I'll be off work Thursday-Sunday next week - so will be here when they arrive. Sandy sent me some raspberries (yum yum I love berries!) and I had a fall at work and luckily had to come home and shower and change - I fell on a milkshake, a peach tea and a banana split - and they had been delivered probably within the hour before I got home. When I opened the box, you could feel the heat coming out of it! I'll have to look up iris's to see what leafs you are talking about, but if my memory is correct, they are the wider leaves. But no matter, they have to be dug up this year if anyone in the family is going to get them because they have a prospective buyer for the house so probably won't be there next year. Deine - I hope you don't mind waiting a little longer for your box because I go back to work tomorrow and work 12 hour shifts. Won't do anything until my off days. Sandy - the raspberries are doing great. When I put them in the ground, they looked a little pitiful, but I divided them into 3 plantings, and 2 of them have survived and have new leaf growth! WOOHOO! I'm sure they'll be fine by the time winter gets here and will make a big leap for me next spring....yummy. I planted them in the back of my garden spot because even if I move my garden next year, that's where I'd want a berry patch anyway. Have a great day everyone. Carol B