[Sca-cooks] Cattails

[Johnna Holloway]

Cattails are also known as bulrush, reed-mace, cat-o'nine tails,  
cossack asparagus, marsh beetle, and candlewick.

John Gerard includes bulrushes and says that the seeds  are used  to  
provoke sleep with a warning that they can provoke a "dead sleepe."   
They are also used for menstrual problem.

To take away VVarts from the face or Hands.

Take Purslain, and rub it on the warts, and it maketh them fall away:  
Also the juice of the Roots of Rushes applyed, heal|eth them.
The Accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving, 1675

Richard Mabey doesn't indicate that they are eaten in England, but I  
wonder if they were possibly eaten during famine times.

This might not have been recorded or mentioned in some way in the  
multitude of references to rushes or reeds.

See also
http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o1134-bulrush.php

Johnnae


On Oct 14, 2009, at 7:27 AM, Johnna  wrote:

> I'll be back with European information later.
>
> Johnnae
>
>
> Was written---Despite the fact that some cattails (notably, the  
> Dwarf Cattail) are native to Eurasia, I can't find
> any record of period usage.  snipped
> -- 
> Ian of Oertha