Dec-PlantsofSaintLucia.docVIP

Biographical Note After raising her family and getting a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, Verna came to St Lucia in 1982 as a Peace Corps volunteer. She helped set up the herbarium in the forestry department and went on innumerable collection field trips. She also interviewed many local herbalists and this resulted in this document detailing traditional herbal uses. She thanks Laurent Jean-Pierre and the forestry department for their help and support. In 1987 she returned to Oregon and worked for the U.S. Forest Service in the Silviculture Department, identifying plant communities and surveying for rare and endangered plants. She “retired” in 1999 and now has Depot Gardens. It’s a gift shop and public gardens of flowers, herbs and vegetables. Many thanks to Armanda Augustin who volunteered to type this difficult document. Somehow she managed to do it quickly and accurately in March 2001. Roger Graveson Dec. 19, 1986 First Revision Feb. 27, 1987 Second Revision April 14, 1987 Corrections Nov. 13, 1987 Edited Uses of Plants in St Lucia Abrus precatorius Fabaceae gwen legliz; graines l’eglise; jumbie bead; crab eyes; lickrish The leaves of crab eyes are used with other bush to make a syrup for chronic asthma. The seeds are sometimes used in crafts, but this is discouraged because of the toxicity. The seeds are also put in lamps to make the oil last longer. One herbalist uses of leaves or the seeds to stop hemorrhage in women. For this remedy the seeds are parched with a dry ochra pod (Abelmoschus esculentus) then boiled with three leaves of lozey (sorrel) (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and some chouvalyé wonzé leaves (Portulaca pilosa), strained, and given to the person to drink. Drink a tea of the flowers to become a duppy man or women. The seeds of this plant contain the phytotoxin abrin, a protein molecule of high toxicity when chewed. It is destroyed by heat. Acacia farnesiana Mimosaceae zakasya; acacia The seed pod is this small tree, which grows profuse