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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.garden,net.med
Subject: Re: plant identification & sources
Message-ID: <408@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Mar-85 12:26:58 EST
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.408
Posted: Sun Mar 10 12:26:58 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Mar-85 20:45:50 EST
References: <2033@sun.uucp>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Distribution: net
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
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Xref: linus net.garden:359 net.med:1180
Summary: 

In article <2033@sun.uucp> sunny@sun.uucp (Ms. Sunny Kirsten) writes:
> I'm interested in alternate names for the following plants,
> information about their medicinal properties, and sources
> for seeds or young plants:
> 
> Commelina pallida	(styptic)
> agave			(fungistatic, antibiotic, bactericidal)
> -- 
> {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Ms. Sunny Kirsten)

The best reference for information about plants is Hortis III.
It's subtitle is "A Manual of Cultivated Plants" (or something like that.)
The author(s) are Bailey and the Bailey Hortorium at Cornell.

Hortis has information on ANYTHING you are likely to encounter in horticulture
anywhere.  Including the tropics.  Under most of the names (excluding those
recently coined by the industry.)  It is expensive (about $100), but a
fundamental for any horticultural or botanical reference library.  (I used
to work for the authors at Cornell, while an undergraduate.)  I haven't yet
bought a copy: I think I will this year.

Commelina's in general are commonly called dayflowers.  They are distinguished
from the closely related Tradescantia and Zebrina (the taxonomy is confusing)
by modified third petals.

Agave is a large genus, commonly called American aloes or century plants.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh