[Herbalist] catnip vs catmint (is catmint dangerous)

[Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise]

> Common names are difficult.
> In the US, catnip is Nepeta cataria  See these images from Google: 
> http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=nepeta+cataria&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
> 
> My US floras for various regions, give catmint and catnep as synonmyns 
> of catnip.

For SCA-period purposes, catnip and cat-mint, nep, or catnep appear to 
be slightly different. The plant referred to as nep appears to be what 
we call Calamint, lesser calamint, or Calamintha nepeta

Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) is traditionally considered a uterine stimulant, 
which may be where the issue comes in; or it may be that Calamint is not 
classified by the USDA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (which means it 
has a history of being used in this country and no major side effects 
reported.)

-- 
-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net 
"I thought you might need rescuing . . . We have a bunch of professors 
wandering around who need students." -- Dan Guernsey