How is the mythological character, Narcissus, related to sleep-inducement, then? -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of piaba Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 1:01 PM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: [pbs] dumbcane (was: Moles and other Geophyte predators) > The name "narcissus" descends from the Greek word > narkissos meaning (broadly) > sleep-inducing. Narcissus bulbs contain an oxalate, > the crystals of which > are needle shaped (raphides). When ingested, these > crystals are released and > lodge in the mucous membranes lining the mouth and > esophagus causing the tissue > to swell. Diffenbachia sp. also contain this > compound. "Dumb cane" is a > colloquial term used for this plant. It has to do > with an inability to speak and > not, necessarily, to the relative smarts of the > person ingesting the plant!! > When chewed on by the unsuspecting (most frequently > children under five > years), swelling of the mucous membranes is so great > as to prevent speech (hence, > "dumb"). In the worst case, swelling could close > off the airway causing death. dave, i believe the origin of the term dumbcane was not that children or anyone else would unwittingly chew on this plant, but that it was used as a punishment for escaped slaves in the caribbean (to have the cut stems rubbed inside their mouths and thus they would not be able to speak for several days). ========= tsuh yang __________________________________________ Yahoo! DSL - Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less. dsl.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php