Re: Historic poisons (and Nardostachys)

Jan Smithen wrote:
> 
> 
> >
> Anthony:
> 
> I would be most interested in learning what you have gleaned from the book
> about lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and it's ancient designation as
> "spica". My book by Judyth A. McLeod, lays the confusion at the feet of
> Linnaeus himself. But I wonder if it's ancient uses did not designate this
> species as "spica", "spike lavender", "essence d'aspic", etc. And where does
> the biblical Nardis Italica, or "nard" fit in?
> What's your take on the tangle?
> 
> It sure does well in the heat and dry of inland Southern California!
> Jan Smithen

Hullo Jan, Richard and everyone else,
 I think it's a bit unfair to blame poor old Linnaeus for the complete
cock up over the identification of lavender/spica when the roots of the
problem were sown (apologies for mixed metaphor) about a couple of
hundred years before his time. Turner, in the second section of his 
"New Herbal" (1562) vehemently blamed Mattioli for muddling the names.
Unfortunately I have never been able to get hold of a copy of Mattioli,
(Barnes and Noble often has them on their second hand list for about
$1800 which is a bit beyond a nurseryman's pocket) so I haven't been
able to check what he really did say but I am inclined to go along with
Turner when the Cortuso schedule of the plants in the Padua Botanic
Garden in 1591 confirmed the confusion and  even more when the 1995
annotation of this list  used Mattioli and Anguillara as primary
references. But then the Brits aren't entirely blameless, Gerard 1597
tentatively suggested the "Casia"  in Vergil Eclog of Bucolicks, E2-49
might be lavender since when, the entire English speaking world has
assumed that the Romans used Lavender  I really do intend to publish a
book on Nards and lavenders to clear up the confusion, but I am too busy
growing the plants at the moment and have a boundless admiration for
those who can both write and run nurseries. Meanwhile, I gave a paper on
this subject at the Sequim (WA) conference a few years ago and I believe
they made a video but never heard any more so I don't know whether they
ever issued it, you could try the Washington State University
Cooperative Extension to see if they have any lying around in the back
of a cupboard somewhere. Or the paper was serialised in "Lavender Bag"
the British journal for Lavender enthusiasts, or again, I could e-mail
you a copy but it is long and will probably clog up your computer.

And yes, we do grow Nardostachys here though it probably won't like much
of California, except up in the mountains. Sorry we can't send you any,
even before 9/11 it was illegal and now the customs people will
irradiate it. I have a certain sympathy with them as Ricin which was
another plant toxin featured in "De Venenis" is currently being
investigated by the Taliban and gives a very nasty and almost certain
death.

My personal wish-list includes live plants of Valeriana celtica and
Dorema both of which have been associated with mistranslations of
Lavender in the past, does anyone know a source of (non-irradiated)
seeds?

Anthony
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