[Sca-cooks] Cattails

[Ian Kusz]

Yeah, I've encountered this, too, although the bulrush, proper, is another
species of plant, in parts of Southern America, some cattails are called
bulrushes, too.

Very confusing.

Btw, proper bulrushes: Scirpus genus, but cattails Typha. Still, people call
them different, so I'm not sure if searches are going to be
definitive....oh, well

On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 5:35 AM, Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com> wrote:

> 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
>>
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-- 
Ian of Oertha