A Pernese Herbal

Root (powdered form) is anaesthetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, cardiotonic, stimulant and vasodilator
It is used in the treatment of shock and collapse, chronic diseases with symptoms of cold, gastralgia and rheumatic arthralgia, oedema and diarrhoea due to hypofunction of the spleen and kidney

Outside Info:

Edible Use: Toxic

Very poisonous and should not be used internally

Other Use: None

Adonis (DLG, Moreta)

Habitat: Cultivated, requires well-drained soil, semi-shade or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Medicinal Uses: Cardiotonic; Diuretic; Sedative; Vasoconstrictor, anodyne, for heart palpitations.

improve the heart's efficiency, increasing its output at the same time as slowing its rate. It also has a sedative action and so is generally prescribed for patients whose hearts are beating too fast or irregularly.
used internally as a cardiotonic with success where the better-known foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) has failed - especially where there is also kidney disease.
The herb is also used in the treatment of low blood pressure and its strong diuretic action can be used to counter water retention.
It is included in many proprietary medicines, especially since its effects are not cumulative. The plant is used in homeopathy as a treatment for angina.

Outside Info: The plants are harvested every third year as they come into flowert, they are dried for use in tinctures and liquid extracts. Grows to 20cm. Has feathery leaves with bright yellow daisy-like flowering tops in spring. All parts of the plant are toxic, and the flowering tops contain seeds, which contain sedatives and heart stimulants. The herb does not store well so stocks should be replaced every year. Use with great caution as toxic.

Edible Use: Toxic

Extremely poisonous, poisonous to runners

Other Use: None

Sub Variety: Cardiotonic; Diuretic; Laxative; Lithontripic.

The plant is a cardiotonic, diuretic and stimulant.

The flowers are considered to be diuretic, laxative and lithontripic.

This variety grows more easily in the wild.

Air vines (Renegades)

Habitat: Paradise River, tropical

Uses: Unknown

Alfalfa (2) (Dragonsdawn, Ford of Red Hanrahan)

Habitat: Cultivated beds. requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil, requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. Prefers sunlight.

Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Antibacterial; Antiscorbutic; Aperient; Diuretic; Emetic; Febrifuge; Haemostatic; Nutritive; Stimulant; Tonic.

Alfalfa leaves, either fresh or dried, have traditionally been used as a nutritive tonic to stimulate the appetite and promote weight gain.
The plant has an oestrogenic action and could prove useful in treating problems related to menstruation and the menopause. Some caution is advised in the use of this plant, however. It should not be prescribed to people with auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. See also the notes above on toxicity.
The plant is antiscorbutic, aperient, diuretic, oxytocic, haemostatic, nutritive, stimulant and tonic. The expressed juice is emetic and is also anodyne in the treatment of gravel. The plant is taken internally for debility in convalescence or anaemia, haemorrhage, menopausal complaints, pre-menstrual tension, fibroids etc.
A poultice of the heated leaves is applied to the ear in the treatment of earache[The leaves can be used fresh or dried.
The leaves are rich in vitamin K, which is used medicinally to encourage the clotting of blood. This is valuable in the treatment of jaundice. The plant is grown commercially as a source of chlorophyll and carotene, both of which have proven health benefits.
The leaves also contain the anti-oxidant tricin.
The root is febrifuge and is also prescribed in cases of highly coloured urine.
Extracts of the plant are antibacterial.
as a tea it is good for the stomach. diuretic.

Outside Info: rows to 80cm. Has purple flowers and 3-part leaves. Leaves and sprouted seeds can be eaten in salads. It is an appetite stimulant for convalescents, and is used by Arabs as horse fodder to increase speed. It is also said to increase production of cow's milk.

Edible Uses: Leaves; Seed; Tea.

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked. The leaves can also be dried for later use. Very rich in vitamins. Poisonous in large amounts.
The seed is used sprouted added to salads, or cooked in soups.
The seeds can be ground into a powder and used as a mush, or mixed with cereal flours for making a nutritionally improved bread etc.
An appetite-stimulating tea is made from the leaves, flavour of boiled socks and is slightly laxative

Other Uses: Green manure; Hedge; Oil.

Often grown as a green manure in positions where it can remain for 2 or more years. Alfalfa is very vigorous from its second year, producing a huge bulk of material that can be cut down 2 or 3 times during the season. Plants are very deep rooting, descending 6 metres or more into the soil, and are able to fix large quantities of atmospheric nitrogen, this makes them one of the very best green manures.
A drying oil is obtained from the seed, it is used in paints etc.
The plant can be grown as a low dividing hedge in the vegetable garden in grubbed areas.
The seeds are used to make a yellow dye.
Used to restore soil as it brings up deep nutrients. Good near fruit trees, poor near onions.

Farm Notes:

Plants are intolerant of competition from grass etc.
Alfalfa must remain planted for more than 2 years to fully achieve its potential.

Algae (DLG, Rescue Run, The P.E.R.N Survey, Dragons Dawn)

Habitat: Various

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

A species of algae may be the cause of ‘Firehead’

Outside Info: Unknown but there are Red and Green algae’s mentioned.

Edible Uses: Unknown but not likely.

Other Uses: Dye

Terran algae can be used for dyeing.

Farm Notes:

Almond (DLG)

Habitat: Cultivated ground, thickets, hedges and rocky places near cultivation.

Growth form: tree

Known locations: Benden Hold, but capable over much of Pern.

Medicinal Use: Antitumor; Demulcent; Emollient; Nutritive; Pectoral.

As well as being a tasty addition to the diet, almonds are also beneficial to the overall health of the body, being used especially in the treatment of kidney stones, gallstones and constipation.
Externally, the oil is applied to dry skins and is also often used as a carrier oil in aromatherapy.
The seed is demulcent, emollient, laxative, nutritive and pectoral. When used medicinally, the fixed oil from the seed is normally employed.
The leaves are used in the treatment of diabetes.
The plant contains an antitumor compound taxifolin.

Edible Use: edible nuts

Outside Info: Has dark bark, and rose to white flowers in early spring.

Other Use: Adhesive; Cleanser; Cosmetic; Dye; Gum; Oil; Soap making.

An oil expressed from the seeds is an excellent lubricant in delicate mechanisms such as agenothree sprayer springs.
It is often used in soaps and cosmetics because it has a softening effect on the skin.
A green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
A yellow dye is obtained from the roots and leaves.
The bruised leaves, when rubbed within any container, will remove strong odours such as garlic or cloves so long as any grease has first been fully cleaned off.
A gum from the stems is used as an adhesive.
The burnt shell yields a valuable absorbent for coal gas.
The burnt pericarp is rich in potassium, it is used in soap making.
The fixed oil from the kernel is used in cosmetics and as a base for some medicines.

Aloe Vera (DLG)

Habitat: Maritime sands and rocks. Requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil, cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. Does not seed well in temperate or higher zones.

Medicinal Uses: medicinal herb, for burns Cancer; Emmenagogue; Emollient; Laxative; Miscellany; Purgative; Skin; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic; Vermifuge; Vulnerary.

The clear gel in the leaf makes an excellent treatment for wounds, burns and other skin disorders, placing a protective coat over the affected area, speeding up the rate of healing and reducing the risk of infection.
This has an immediate soothing effect on all sorts of burns and other skin problems.
A yellow sap is obtained from cutting base of the leaf and the liquid that exudes is dried. It is called bitter aloes and contains anthraquinones, which are a useful digestive stimulant and a strong laxative. When plants are grown in pots the anthraquinone content is greatly reduced.
The plant is emmenagogue, emollient, laxative, purgative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity.
Apart from its external use on the skin, aloe Vera (usually the bitter aloes) is also taken internally in the treatment of chronic constipation, poor appetite, digestive problems etc. It should not be given to pregnant women or people with haemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. The plant is strongly purgative so great care should be taken over the dosage.
The plant is used to test if there is blood in the faeces.
This plant has a folk history of treatment in cases of cancer.

Outside Info: An evergreen perennial growing to 0.8m by 1m at a slow rate. In flower from May to June.

Edible Uses: Leaves; Seed.

Leaves – cooked, used as an emergency food that is only used when all else fails as very bitter.
Seed. An emergency food used when all else fails.

Other Uses: Cosmetic; Pollution.

The leaf extracts are used in skin-care cosmetic products.
Plants have been grown indoors in pots in order to help remove toxins from the atmosphere. It is also unusual in that it continues to release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide in the dark, making it very suitable for growing in bedrooms.

Apples (DLG, Skies of Pern)

Habitat: Found other a wide range of Temperate Pern. Grows in semi-shade or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Medicinal Use: Antibacterial; Astringent; Laxative; Stomachic.

The fruit is astringent and laxative.
The bark, and especially the root bark, is anthelmintic, refrigerant and soporific. An infusion is used in the treatment of intermittent, remittent and bilious fevers.
The leaves contain up to 2.4% of an antibacterial substance called 'phloretin'. This inhibits the growth of a number of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in as low a concentration as 30 ppm.
A ripe raw apple is one of the easiest foods for the stomach to deal with, the whole process of digestion taking about 85 minutes. The apple juice will reduce the acidity of the stomach, it becomes changed into alkaline carbonates and thus corrects sour fermentation.
The apple is also an excellent dentifrice, the mechanical action of eating a fruit serving to clean both the teeth and the gums.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 9m. Hardy, flowers from April to June. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can

Edible Use: Fruit; Oil; Pectin.

Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for later use. Apples are one of the most common and widely grown fruits of the temperate zone. There are a great many named varieties with differing flavours ranging from sour to sweet and textures from dry and mealy to crisp and juicy. There is also a wide range in the seasons of ripening with the first fruits being ready in late July whilst other cultivars are not picked until late autumn and will store for 12 months or sometimes more.
The fruit of some cultivars is rich in pectin and can be used in helping other fruits to set when making jam etc. Pectin is also said to protect the body against radiation.
An edible oil can be obtained from the seed. It would only really be viable to use these seeds as an oil source if the fruit was being used for some purpose such as making cider and then the seeds could be extracted from the remaining pulp.

Other Use: Wood

hard, compact, fine-grained. Used for turnery, tool handles, canes etc. It makes an excellent fuel.

Other Notes: not to be grown or stored close to root crops (as these will spoil). Ideally clover should be sown near and around apple trees.

Arnica (Dragonsblood)

Habitat: Calcareous soils in mountain pastures. Found especially on granite or siliceous soils up to 2500 metres. Pasture and open woodland, usually on poorer acid soils. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Medicinal Use: Antiecchymotic; Antiphlogistic; Nervine; Sternutatory; Vulnerary..

Used as an external treatment for bruises and sprains
Internally, it has been used in the treatment of heart complaints and as a booster for the immune system
It is anti-inflammatory and increases the rate of absorption of internal bleeding.
If used as a decoction or tincture it stimulates the circulation and is valuable in the treatment of angina and a weak or failing heart, but it can be toxic even at quite low doses and so is rarely used this way
The flowers are the part most commonly used and are harvested when fully open and dried
The root is also used, it is harvested after the leaves have died down in the autumn and dried for later use[4]. Although a very valuable remedy, it should be used with caution
The homeopathic dose has also been used effectively in the treatment of epilepsy and seasickness, and it might be of use as a hair growth stimulant.

Outside Info:

Perennial growing to 0.3 by 0.15m bush. Flowers in Month 7. The plant is self-fertile.

Edible Use:.

None Known

Other Use:

possible use as tobacco.

Other Notes:

Ash (DLG, Moreta)

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure. Found across higher ground.

Medicinal Uses: Antiperiodic; Astringent; Carminative; Cathartic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Laxative; Purgative; Tonic.

The leaves are astringent, cathartic, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, laxative and purgative.
Used as a mild laxative. The leaves should be gathered in June, well dried and stored in airtight containers.
The bark is antiperiodic, astringent and a bitter tonic. Occasionally taken in the treatment of fevers.
The seeds, including their wings, have been used as a carminative. They will store for 12 months if gathered when ripe.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 30m by 20m at a fast rate.

Edible Uses: Manna; Oil; Seed; Tea.

Immature seed - usually pickled by steeping in salt and vinegar, and then used as a condiment for other foods.
The leaves are sometimes used as an adulterant for tea.
A manna is obtained from the tree. No further details are given.
An edible oil similar to sunflower oil is obtained from the seed.

Other Uses: Dye; Fuel; String; Tannin; Wood.

A green dye is obtained from the leaves.
The bark is a source of tannin.
A tying material can be obtained from the wood fibres.
Wood - hard, light, flexible, strong, resilient. A very valuable wood, it is much used for tool handles, oars, furniture, posts etc.

Ash Sub Strains: There are a number of different varieties of Ash, all similar to one another. I have labelled the more useful types below:

Oregan Ash –

Medicinal Uses: Anthelmintic; Febrifuge; Vulnerary.

The pulverised fresh roots were used by some cotters and holdless to treat serious wounds in the absence of better solutions.
A cold infusion of the twigs is used to treat fevers.
The bark is anthelmintic.

Black Ash – Grows to 25 m.

Medicinal Uses: Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Laxative; Ophthalmic; Tonic.

The leaves are diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative. They should be gathered in June, well dried and stored in airtight containers.
The inner bark is used as a tonic for the liver and stomach, to check vaginal discharge and to treat painful urination. An infusion of the inner bark is used as an eye wash for sore eyes.

Other Uses: Basketry; Dye; Fuel; Wood.

Logs of wood can be beaten with mauls to separate the growth layers, these layers can then be cut into strips and woven into baskets.
A blue dye can be obtained from the bark.

Manna Ash: 9x6m

Edible Uses: Manna.

Manna - a sweetish exudate is obtained from the stems by incision. The quality is better from the upper stems. A mild sweet taste, its main use is as a mild and gentle laxative although it is also used as a sweetener in sugar-free preparations. The tree trunk must be at least 8cm in diameter before the manna can be harvested. A vertical series of oblique incisions are made in the trunk in the summer once the tree is no longer producing many new leaves. One cut is made every day from July to the end of September. A whitish glutinous liquid exudes from this cut, hardens and is then harvested. Dry and warm weather is essential if a good harvest is to be realised. The tree is harvested for 9 consecutive years, which exhausts the tree. This is then cut down, leaving one shoot to grow back. It takes 4 - 5 years for this shoot to become productive. Average yields of 6 kilos per hectare of top quality manna, plus 80 kilos of assorted manna are achieved.

Medicinal Uses: Laxative; Tonic.

The manna obtained from the trunk is a gentle laxative and a tonic. It is especially valuable for children and pregnant women. Its action is normally very mild, though it does sometimes cause flatulence and pain.

Red Ash – 20 m

Edible Uses : Inner bark.

Inner bark - cooked. The cambium layer can be scraped down in long, fluffy layers and cooked. It is said to taste like eggs. Inner bark can also be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread.

Medicinal Uses: Bitter; Diuretic; Tonic.

· The bark and leaves are a bitter tonic. An infusion of the inner bark is used in the treatment of depression and fatigue.

The root is diuretic

Other Uses: Basketry; Dye; Wood.

A red dye is extracted from the bark.
Logs of wood can be beaten with mauls to separate the growth layers, these layers can then be cut into strips and woven into baskets.

· Wood - hard, heavy, rather strong, tough, elastic, brittle, coarse-grained. Not as good as regular ash.

Blue Ash – 20m

Other Uses: Dye; Wood.

A blue dye is obtained from the inner bark. The bark is ground into a powder and then steeped in water in order to obtain the dye.

Asparagus (DLG)

Habitat: Fertile and sandy soils by the seashore and along river banks

Medicinal Use: Antibiotic; Antispasmodic; Aperient; Cancer; Cardiac; Demulcent; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Laxative; Sedative; Tonic.

Both the roots and the shoots can be used medicinally, they have a restorative and cleansing effect on the bowels, kidneys and liver.
The plant is antispasmodic, aperient, cardiac, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative and tonic. The freshly expressed juice is used.
The root is diaphoretic, strongly diuretic and laxative. An infusion is used in the treatment of jaundice and congestive torpor of the liver. The strongly diuretic action of the roots make it useful in the treatment of a variety of urinary problems including cystitis. It is also used in the treatment of cancer. The roots are said to be able to lower blood pressure. The roots are harvested in late spring, after the shoots have been cut as a food crop, and are dried for later use.
The seeds possess antibiotic activity. Another report says that the plant contains asparagusic acid, which is nematocidal and is used in the treatment of schistosomiasis.
Asparagus tincture used (primarily in Weyrs) to stave off drunkenness. Also is a part of the 'killer cure' for hangovers.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 1.5m by 0.75m, the shoots are harvested in the spring but must not be over-harvested or the plant will be exhausted for the next year.

Edible Use: Klah; Stem.

Young shoots, harvested in spring - raw or cooked. The shoots are a good source of protein and dietary fibre.
Roasted seeds are a Klah substitute.

Other Use: Insecticide.

The plant contains asparagusic acid, which has nematocidal properties.

Sub Variety: Fern Asparagus

Habitat: sunny edge, woodland

Edible Uses: Stem.

Young shoots - cooked.

Medicinal Uses: Antipyretic; Antitussive; Diuretic; Expectorant; Nervine; Stomachic; Tonic.

The dried root is antipyretic, antitussive, diuretic, expectorant, stomachic, nervous stimulant and tonic.

Bamboo grasses (DLG, Dolphins of Pern)

Growth form: bamboo-like grassoid,

Known locations: Nerat Hold, Southern Hold – presumably in other large sections across most of the planet.

General habitat: marshy land

Medicinal Use: Unknown

Outside Info: triangular cross-section

Edible Use: Leaves

:"...grow so swiftly that in the afternoon a kitchen auntie has to cut down stalks she planted in the morning, or they will be too tough to eat at dinner." (Dragonlovers)(at Southern)

Other Use: Wood

braided and twisted like wicker, used for furniture (Nerat) or more substantial building (paradise)

Banana (DLG, White Dragon)

Known locations: Boll. They grow in the humid tropics.

Habitat: Woodland, Sunny Edge, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall

Medicinal Use: Diuretic; Febrifuge; Sialagogue.

The roots are diuretic, febrifuge and sialagogue. A decoction is used in the treatment of beriberi, constipation, jaundice, dropsy, restlessness due to heat, and eucorrhoea
The leaves are diuretic.
leaves and the juice from the stem are used on burns and blisters
Burn urination: Chew the tuber of once a day to get relief from burn urination.
Dandruff: Burn the leaves and apply the ashes on hair and keep it for 10 minutes before taking bath. Continue this process a day three days.
Dysentery: Extract juice from the flower. Take two teaspoonful of this juice orally along with a glass of sugar candy water, once only.
Jaundice: Apply quicklime over the ripe fruit. Keep it on the roof of the house for a night. In the morning peel off the fruit and take it orally. Take one ripe fruit in each dose, thrice a day for two days.
Labour pain: Take orally one ripe fruit during labour pain.
Menopause: Extract juice from 20 g flowers. Mix 250 g of solid curd to this juice. Take this juice orally to stop the excess bleeding during menopause. Bleeding will be stop within fifteen minutes. Salt, non-vegetarian and sour things are restricted in the diet.
Worm infection: Grind together 500 g tuber root and 100 g par boiled rice to make a paste. Fry this paste with 50 g pure ghee. Mix 100 g molasses with this fried paste. Make 6 pills out of this paste. Take one pill orally two times a day for three days.

Outside Info:These are treelike herb plants with several large leaves at the top. Their flowers are borne in dense hanging clusters. The banana has a soft, herbaceous stalk, with leaves of great length and breadth. The flowers grow in bunches, covered with a sheath of a green or purple colour; the fruit is five or six inches long, and over an inch in diameter; the pulp is soft, and of a luscious taste, and is eaten either raw or cooked. This plant is a native of tropical countries, and furnishes an important article of food.

Edible Uses:Fruit; heart; flour; rootstock; leaf sheath

Their fruits are edible raw or cooked. They may be boiled or baked. You can boil their flowers and eat them like a vegetable.
You can cook and eat the rootstocks and leaf sheaths of many species.
The centre or "heart" or the plant is edible year-round, cooked or raw (see Moreta - Plaintains never get sweet and are cooked like potatoes)
The chopped and grated pulp of the corms and leaf sheaths is fermented and used as a flour in making kocho bread. 100% kocho flour or a mixture of kocho and other cereal flours may be used. It is said to taste like a good quality bread

Other Uses: Fibre.

A fibre is obtained from the leaf stems. Used for cloth, sails etc. The fibre can also be used for making paper. The leaves are harvested in summer and are soaked in water for 24 hours prior to cooking. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten in a ball mill for 4½ hours before being made into paper.

Barley (DLG, Dragons Dawn)

Habitat: Cultivated Beds. Succeeds in most soils and in climates ranging from sub-arctic to sub-tropical. Easily grown in light soils.

Medicinal Uses: Abortifacient; Cancer; Carminative; Demulcent; Digestive; Diuretic; Emollient; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Galactofuge; Hypoglycaemic; Lenitive; Nutritive; Poultice; Stomachic.

The shoots are diuretic
Brewed as tea to combat symptoms of cystis (common complaint of female dragon riders)
The seed sprouts are demulcent, expectorant, galactofuge, lenitive and stomachic. They are sometimes abortifacient, which are used in the treatment of dyspepsia caused by cereals, infantile lacto-dyspepsia, regurgitation of milk and breast distension. They are best not given to a nursing mother since this can reduce milk flow.
The seed is digestive, emollient, nutritive, febrifuge and stomachic. It is taken internally as a nutritious food or as barley water (an infusion of the germinated seed in water) and is of special use for babies and invalids. Its use is said to reduce excessive lactation.
Barley is also used as a poultice for burns and wounds.
The plant has a folk history of antitumor activity.
The germinating seed has a hypoglycaemic effect preceded by a hyperglycaemic action.
Barley bran may have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels and preventing bowel cancer.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 1.2m. The plant requires well-drained soil, cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses: Klah; Drink; Salt; Seed; Sweetener.

Seed - cooked as a whole grain or ground up and used as a flour for making bread, porridges etc. The bread does not rise well. The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads. Barley Juice can be made from the seed.
The decorticated seed is called pearl barley. This is no longer viable since the decortication process damages the embryo. It is used in soups, stews etc
Malt is obtained by sprouting the whole seed and then roasting it. The seed is then ground into a flour and boiled in water. The resulting liquid is very sweet and can be used in making beer or other drinks, and as a nutritious sweetener in various foods
The roasted (unsprouted) seed is used as a Klah and a salt substitute.

Other Uses: Biomass; Mulch; Paper.

After harvesting, the stems are a source of fibres for paper making, shredding for mulch and bedding for animals.

Farm Notes: Seed - sow in situ in March or October and only just cover the seed. Make sure the soil surface does not dry out if the weather is dry. Germination takes place within 2 weeks.

Basil (DLG)

Habitat: Basil is perennial in the tropics, but a half-hardy annual in temperate zones.. It requires a good hot summer in temperate climates if it is to do well outdoors.
Medicinal Uses: Antibacterial; Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Aromatic; Carminative; Digestive; Galactogogue; Ophthalmic; Stomachic; Tonic.

Sweet basil is a culinary and medicinal herb. It acts principally on the digestive and nervous systems, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic and indigestion.
The leaves and flowering tops are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, galactogogue, stomachic and tonic. They are taken internally in the treatment of feverish illnesses (especially colds and influenza), poor digestion, nausea, abdominal cramps, gastro-enteritis, migraine, insomnia, depression and exhaustion. Externally, they are used to treat acne, loss of smell, insect stings, snake bites and skin infections. The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and are used fresh or dried.
The mucilaginous seed is given in infusion in the treatment of dysentery and chronic diarrhoea. It is said to remove film and opacity from the eyes.
The root is used in the treatment of bowel complaints in children.
Extracts from the plant are bactericidal and are also effective against internal parasites.
The essential oil scents soaps and perfumes, and is used to treat anxiety, headaches, respiatory problems, and aids concentration and digestion. An infusion of basil aids digestion and is a nerve tonic.
The essential oil should be avoided during pregnancy..

Outside Info: Grows in many forms. Perennial growing to 0.45m by 0.3m. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses: Condiment; Drink; Leaves; Seed; Tea.

Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring or as a spinach, they are used especially with tomato dishes, pasta sauces, beans, peppers and aubergines. The leaves are normally used fresh but can also be dried for winter use. A very pleasant addition to salads, the leaves have a delightful scent of cloves. Use the leaves sparingly in cooking because the heat concentrates the flavour.
A refreshing tea is made from the leaves.
The seed can be eaten on its own or added to bread dough as a flavouring.
When soaked in water it becomes mucilaginous and can be made into a refreshing beverage called 'sherbet tokhum' in the Mediterranean.
An essential oil obtained from the plant is used as a food flavouring in mustards, sauces, vinegars etc

Other Uses: Essential Oil; Repellent; Strewing.

An essential oil obtained from the whole plant is used as a food flavouring and in perfumery, dental applications etc. An average yield of 1.5% essential oil is obtained from the flowering tops.
The growing or dried plant is an effective insect repellent. It is a good plant to grow in the home, where it repels flies, or in the greenhouse where it can keep all manner of insect pests away from nearby plants. It is used as a strewing herb.

Farm Notes:

Sweet basil is a good companion plant for tomatoes but it grows badly with rue and sage.
When grown near raspberries it can retard their fruiting.

Bay leaf (DLG)

Habitat: Hedge, Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, By Walls. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Medicinal Uses: Abortifacient; Antiseptic; Appetizer; Aromatic; Astringent; Cancer; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Digestive; Diuretic; Emetic; Emmenagogue; Narcotic; Parasiticide; Stimulant; Stomachic.

The bay tree has a long history of folk use in the treatment of many ailments, particularly as an aid to digestion and in the treatment of bronchitis and influenza. It has also been used to treat various types of cancer.
Internally employed in the treatment of hysteria, amenorrhoea, flatulent colic etc. Another report says that the leaves are used mainly to treat upper respiratory tract disorders and to ease arthritic aches and pains.
It is settling to the stomach and has a tonic effect, stimulating the appetite and the secretion of digestive juices.
The leaves are antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic in large doses, emmenagogue, narcotic, parasiticide, stimulant and stomachic
The fruit is antiseptic, aromatic, digestive, narcotic and stimulant. An infusion is used to improve the appetite and as an emmenagogue.
The fruit has also been used in making carminative medicines and is used to promote abortion.
A fixed oil from the fruit is used externally to treat sprains, bruises etc, and is sometimes used as ear drops to relieve pain.
The essential oil from the leaves has narcotic, antibacterial and fungicidal properties.

Outside Info: An evergreen tree growing to 12m by 10m.

Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

Leaves - fresh or dried. A spicy, aromatic flavouring, bay leaves are commonly used as a flavouring for soups, stews etc.
The dried fruit is used as a flavouring.
The dried leaves are brewed into a herbal tea.
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is used as a food flavouring

Other Uses: Essential; Hedge; Repellent; Strewing; Wood.

An essential oil from the fruit is used in soap making.
The plant is highly resistant to pests and diseases, it is said to protect neighbouring plants from insect and health problems.
The leaves are highly aromatic and can be used as an insect repellent, the dried leaves protect stored grain, beans etc from weevils.
It is also used as a strewing herb because of its aromatic smell and antiseptic properties.
Wood - sweetly-scented, does not wear quickly. Used for marqueterie work, walking sticks and friction sticks for making fires.

Beachberry (Smallest Dragon Boy) – may be the same as the native blackberry

Growth form: rambler

Known locations: Southern Coast.

General habitat: Maritime exposure, poss sandy soil

Medicinal Use: Unknown

Outside Info: Unknown

Edible Use: Fruit.

Eaten raw or sweet in pies.

Other Use: Unknown

Beans (DLG)

There are a variety of different beans, with different characteristics. I have selected a number of the more common types in use. These all belong to the Legume Family:

Soya Bean – see separate entry

Runner Bean

General habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil

Medicinal Use: Unknown

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 3m by 1m at a fast rate

Edible Use: Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed; Seedpod.

Immature seedpods - raw or cooked. They have a pleasant mild flavour and are widely used as a vegetable in many areas of the world. They can be added to salads, cooked as a vegetable or added to soups, stews etc.
The immature seed is used like shelled beans as a vegetable
The protein-rich mature seeds can be dried and stored for future use. They need to be thoroughly cooked before being eaten in order to destroy a toxic principle. They are soaked for 12 hours prior to use and are eaten boiled or added to soups etc. The seed can also be ground into a powder and added to cereal flours for making protein-enriched bread etc
Flowers - raw. A bean-like taste
Young leaves - cooked and used as a potherb

Other Use:

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen

Other Notes:

Runner beans grow well with carrots, cauliflowers, cucumbers, cabbage, leek and celeriac.
They are inhibited by alliums and fennel growing nearby

Kidney (French) beans

General habitat: It requires moist soil

Medicinal Use: Cancer; Diuretic; Homeopathy; Hypoglycaemic; Hypotensive; Narcotic.

The green pods are mildly diuretic and contain a substance that reduces the blood sugar level. The dried mature pod is used according to another report. It is used in the treatment of diabetes.
The seed is diuretic, hypoglycaemic and hypotensive.
Ground into a flour, it is used externally in the treatment of ulcers. The seed is also used in the treatment of cancer of the blood.
When bruised and boiled with garlic they have cured intractable coughs.
The root is dangerously narcotic
A homeopathic remedy is made from the entire fresh herb. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis, plus disorders of the urinary tract.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 2m

Edible Use: Klah; Leaves; Seed; Seedpod.

Immature seedpods - raw or cooked. The green pods are commonly used as a vegetable, they have a mild flavour and should only be cooked for a short time. When growing the plant for its seedpods, be sure to pick them whilst they are still small and tender. This will ensure the continued production of more pods by the plant. Flowering is reduced once the seeds begin to form inside the pods.
The immature seeds are boiled or steamed and used as a vegetable.
The mature seeds are dried and stored for future use. They must be thoroughly cooked before being eaten and are best soaked in water for about 12 hours prior to this. They can be boiled, baked, pureed, ground into a powder or fermented into 'tempeh' etc. The powdered seed makes a protein-enriching additive to flour, it can also be used in soups etc. The seed can also be sprouted and used in salads or cooked.
The roasted seeds have been used as a Klah substitute.
Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb.

Other Use: Dye; Fungicide.

A brown dye is obtained from red kidney beans
The plant contains phaseolin, which has fungicidal activity
Water from the cooked beans is very effective in reviving woollen fabrics

Farm Notes:

It can fix Nitrogen
French beans grow well with strawberries, carrots, cauliflowers, cucumbers, cabbage, beet, leek and celeriac.
They are inhibited by alliums and fennel growing nearby

Broad Bean

General habitat: requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure

Medicinal Use: Unknown

Outside Info: Annual growing to 1m at a fast rate

Edible Use: Leaves; Seed.

Broad bean seeds are very nutritious and are frequently used as items of food. Toxic in large quantities.
The immature seeds can be eaten raw when they are small and tender, as they grow older they can be cooked as a vegetable. They have a very pleasant floury taste.
The young pods can be cooked as a vegetable, though they quickly become fibrous and also have a hairy coating inside that can become unpleasant as the pods get larger.
Mature seeds can be eaten cooked as a vegetable or added to soups etc. They are best soaked for 12 - 24 hours prior to cooking in order to soften them and reduce the cooking time. They will also become more nutritious this way. The flavour is mild and pleasant with a floury texture.
They can also be dried and ground into a flour for use in making bread etc with cereal flours.
The seed can also be fermented to make 'tempeh'.
The seed can be sprouted before being cooked.
Popped seeds can be salted and eaten as a snack or roasted like peanuts.
Young leaves - cooked. They are very nutritious and can be used like spinach.

Other Use: Fibre; Soap making.

A fibre is obtained from the stems.
The burnt stems are rich in potassium and can be used in making soap.

Farm Notes:

A green manure crop
Grows well with carrots, cauliflowers, beet, cucumber, cabbages, leeks, celeriac, corn and potatoes, but is inhibited by onions, garlic and shallots
When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Chickpea Bean

General habitat: Does not like maritime exposure, prefers a lighted position

Medicinal Use: Astringent.

An acid exudation from the seedpods is astringent. It is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, constipation and snakebite

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.6m It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Edible Use: Klah; Drink; Leaves; Seed; Seedpod.

Seed - raw or cooked. The fresh or dried seed is cooked in soups, stews etc. It has a sweet flavour and a floury texture somewhat reminiscent of sweet chestnuts.
The mature seed can also be sprouted and eaten raw.
Parched seeds can be eaten as a snack.
The seed can also be ground into a meal and used with cereal flours for making bread, cakes etc. The seed is a good source of carbohydrates and protein.
The roasted seed is a Klah substitute. The roasted root can also be used.
Both the young seedpods and the young shoots are said to be edible but may be toxic in large quantities
A refreshing drink can be made from the acid dew that collects on the hairy seedpods overnight.

Other Use: Unknown

Farm Notes:

nitrogen Fixer – leave roots to deterioate in ground
Grows at a lower temperature than broad bean

Berries? (DLG, Red Star Rising, Master Harper, Renegades, Dragon Kin, Dragon Quest, Skies of Pern)

Habitat: Igen/Lemos forest

Edible Uses: edible, can be made into jam. Berry wax can be made into candles.

Misc.: Berries are mentioned often, especially in the production of bubbly pies, but it is not usually stated what type of berry is used. For more details see individual entries.

Birch

The birch tree has a large number of variants because it hybridises freely. This entry takes into account the forms of the three types that make up the ‘Silver’ or ‘Common’ or ‘White’ birch tree. After several thousand years, this tree will probably have a number of separate sub varieties.

Growth form: tree

Habitat: Igen/Lemos forests

Edible Uses: Inner bark; Sap. Flowers; Leaves; Tea.

Inner bark - cooked. Rich in starch. It can be dried and ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups etc or mixed with flour for making bread, biscuits etc. Inner bark is generally only seen as a famine food, used when other forms of starch are not available or are in short supply.
Sap. Used for making a vinegar.
Sap - raw or cooked. A sweet flavour. It is harvested in early spring, before the leaves unfurl, by tapping the trunk. It makes a pleasant drink. It is often concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water. Between 4 and 7 litres can be drawn off a mature tree in a day and this will not kill the tree so long as the tap hole is filled up afterwards. However, prolonged or heavy tapping will kill the tree. The flow is best on sunny days following a frost. The sap can be fermented into a beer. An old recipe for the beer is as follows:-

"To every Gallon of Birch-water put a quart of Sweetener, well stirr'd together; then boil it almost an hour with a few Cloves, and a little Yellow Citrus-peel, keeping it well scumm'd. When it is sufficiently boil'd, and become cold, add to it three or four Spoonfuls of good Ale to make it work...and when the Test begins to settle, bottle it up . . . it is gentle, and very harmless in operation within the body, and exceedingly sharpens the Appetite, being drunk ante pastum." (ed – I have changed the above which used honey and lemon).
Young leaves - raw or cooked.
Young catkins. No more detail.
A tea is made from the leaves and another tea is made from the essential oil in the inner bark.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 20m at a fast rate, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. Succeeds in a well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position

Medicinal Uses: Cancer. Anti-cholesterolemic; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-rheumatic; Antiseptic; Astringent; Bitter; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Laxative; Lithontripic; Miscellany; Skin.

The root bark, and other parts of the plant, show anticancer activity.
Anti-inflammatory, cholagogue, diaphoretic
The bark is diuretic and laxative
An oil obtained from the inner bark is astringent and is used in the treatment of various skin afflictions, especially eczema and psoriasis. The bark is usually obtained from trees that have been felled for timber and can be distilled at any time of the year.
The inner bark is bitter and astringent, it is used in treating intermittent fevers
The vernal sap is diuretic
The buds are balsamic. The young shoots and leaves secrete a resinous substance, which has acid properties, when combined with alkalis it is a tonic laxative.
The leaves are anticholesterolemic and diuretic. They also contain phytosides, which are effective germicides. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of gout, dropsy and rheumatism, and is recommended as a reliable solvent of kidney stones. The young leaves and leaf buds are harvested in the spring and dried for later use.
A decoction of the leaves and bark is used for bathing skin eruptions.
Moxa is made from the yellow fungous excrescences of the wood, which sometimes swell out of the fissures.

Other Uses: Adhesive; Besom; Charcoal; Compost; Dye; Essential; Fibre; Fungicide; Hair; Paper; Pioneer; Polish; Repellent; Tannin; Thatching; Waterproofing; Wood.

The bark is used to make drinking vessels, canoe skins, etc. It is waterproof, durable, tough and resinous. Only the outer bark is removed, this does not kill the tree. It is most easily removed in late spring to early summer.
A pioneer species, it readily invades old fields, cleared or burnt-over land and creates conditions suitable for other woodland trees to become established. Since it is relatively short-lived and intolerant of shade, it is eventually out-competed by these trees.
A tar-oil is obtained from the white bark in spring. It has fungicidal properties and is also used as an insect repellent. It makes a good shoe polish. Another report says that an essential oil is obtained from the bark and this, called 'Russian Leather' is used as a perfume
A decoction of the inner bark is used to preserve cordage, it contains up to 16% tannin
An oil similar to Wintergreen oil is obtained from the inner bark. It is used medicinally and also makes a refreshing tea.
The resin glands (the report does not say where these glands are found) are used to make a hair lotion.
A brown dye is obtained from the inner bark
A glue is made from the sap.
Cordage can be made from the fibres of the inner bark. This inner bark can also be separated into thin layers and used as a substitute for oiled paper.
The young branches are very flexible and are used to make whisks, besoms etc. They are also used to make wattles and hurdles (which can be risked in thread fall as they can be made easily again afterwards)
The leaves are a good addition to the compost heap, improving fermentation
Wood - soft, light, durable. It is used for a wide range of purposes including furniture, tool handles, toys and carving.
A high quality charcoal is obtained from the bark. It is used by artists, painters etc.
The wood is also pulped and used for making paper

Farm notes:

A good plant to grow near the compost heap, aiding the fermentation process
Trees take about 15 years from seed to produce their own seed

Blackberries (I) – this may be the same as the Black Marshberry Bush referred to in Dragonsinger. However we know from Dragonsdawn that there is also a native Pern plant with this name as well which is found along the Southern coast. Blackberries - Pern (dd)

Blackberries – Terran (DLG)

Habitat: Wide-ranging, tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Medicinal Uses: Astringent; Depurative; Diuretic; Tonic; Vulnerary.

The root-bark and the leaves are strongly astringent, depurative, diuretic, tonic and vulnerary
A poultice of the leaf treats eczema
They make an excellent remedy for dysentery, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, cystitis etc, the root is the more astringent.
Externally, they are used as a gargle to treat sore throats, mouth ulcers and gum inflammations.
A decoction of the leaves is useful as a gargle in treating thrush and also makes a good general mouthwash

Outside Info: A shrub growing to 3m by 3m at a fast rate.

Edible Uses: Fruit; Leaves; Root; Tea.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is also made into syrups, jams and other preserves.
Root - cooked. The root should be neither to young nor too old and requires a lot of boiling.
A tea is made from the dried leaves - the young leaves are best.
Young shoots - raw. They are harvested as they emerge through the ground in the spring, peeled and then eaten in salads.

Other Uses: Dye; Fibre.

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
young shoots (with alum as a Mordant) make a creamy fawn colour dye.
A fibre is obtained from the stem and used to make twine

Blackberries – (DLG, Dragons Dawn)

Habitat: Full range unknown – may be related to Black marsh berries. Certainly a coastal plant so can tolerate maritime exposure.

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info: Similar to Terran variety in appearance

Edible Uses: Fruit;

Fruit - raw or cooked.

Other Uses: Oil

Possibly pressed for oil

Black marsh berries (Dragon Song)

Habitat: Marshy areas, inc Half Circle Seahold

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info: Unsure

Edible Uses: Fruit;

Fruit - raw or cooked.

Other Uses: Oil; tinder

Pressed for oil in large quantities
Menolly used the dry bush carcasses for tinder

Black Mustard – 1 (DLG)

Habitat: requires well-drained, moist, soil, and can tolerate maritime exposure. Prefers tropics but grows well in temperate regions.

Medicinal Uses: Appetizer; Digestive; Diuretic; Emetic; Rubefacient; Stimulant.

Mustard seed is used as a rubefacient poultice.
The seed is ground and made into a paste then applied to the skin for treatment of rheumatism, as a means of reducing congestion in internal organs.
Applied externally, mustard relieves congestion by drawing the blood to the surface as in head afflictions, neuralgia and spasms.
Used internally, it is an appetizer, digestive, diuretic, emetic and tonic.
Swallowed whole when mixed with molasses, it acts as a laxative.
A decoction of the seeds is used in the treatment of indurations of the liver and spleen.
It is also used to treat carcinoma, throat tumours, and imposthumes.
A liquid prepared from the seed, when gargled, is said to help tumours of the "sinax.".
The seed is eaten as a tonic and appetite stimulant.
Hot water poured onto bruised mustard seeds makes a stimulating foot bath and can also be used as an inhaler where it acts to throw off a cold or dispel a headache.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 1.2m by 0.6m

Edible Uses: Leaves; Oil; Seed; Stem.

Leaves - raw or cooked. A hot flavour, they can be finely chopped and added to salads or cooked as a potherb
The seedlings can also be used in salad when one week old
Immature flowering stems - cooked and eaten like broccoli
Mustard seed is ground into powder as a food flavouring
An edible oil is obtained from the seed

Other Uses: Green manure; Oil; Repellent; Antiseptic

Mustard flour is considered antiseptic[269].
A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed, as well as being edible it is also used as a lubricant, illuminant, hair tonic, animal repellent and in making soap
Scent: Flowers: Fresh, The flowers have a pleasing perfume, though this is only noticed if several flowers are inhaled at the same time.

Blooming plant

Habitat: Southern Boll

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info: Has fragrant pink blossoms tangling in clusters. Blooms in 'winter'. possibly year round.

Edible Uses: Unknown

Other Uses: Unknown

Blueberry (DLG)

Growth form: bush

Habitat: open barrens, peats and rocks. A very hardy plant, some species tolerating temperatures down to about -40°c or marshland.

Medicinal Uses: Blood tonic; Oxytoxic.

A tea made from the leaves is used as a blood purifier and in the treatment of infant's colic.
It has also been used to induce labour and as a tonic after a miscarriage.

Outside Info: shrub growing to 0.2m

Edible Uses: Fruit; Tea.

Fruit - raw, cooked (Popular in bubbly pies) or used in preserves etc. A very sweet pleasant flavour with a slight taste of honey.
The fruit can be dried and used like raisins. The fruit is about 12mm in diameter.
A tea is made from the leaves and dried fruits[101].

Other Uses: Dye

bluish-purple Dye from the berries

Borage, Borrago (DLG, Moreta)

Growth form: bush

Habitat: tolerates drought, prefers shade and semi-shade

Medicinal Uses: Demulcent; Depurative; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emollient; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Hypotensive; Lenitive; Poultice; Sedative; Skin; Women's complaints.

Has a good reputation for its beneficial affect on the mind, being used to dispel melancholy and induce euphoria
It is a soothing saline, diuretic herb that soothes damaged or irritated tissues.
The leaves, and to a lesser extent the flowers, are demulcent, diaphoretic, depurative, mildly diuretic, emollient, expectorant, febrifuge, lenitive and mildly sedative.
An infusion is taken internally in the treatment of a range of ailments including fevers, chest problems and kidney problems, but not for people with liver problems.
Externally it is used as a poultice for inflammatory swellings.
The leaves are harvested in late spring/summer as the plant comes into flower. They can be used fresh or dried but should not be stored for more than one year because they soon lose their medicinal properties.
The seeds are a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid, which oil helps to regulate the hormonal systems and lowers blood pressure.
It is used both internally and externally, helping to relieve skin complaints and pre-menstrual tension.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.6m by 0.3m with blue star-like flowers

Edible Uses: Colouring; Flowers; Leaves; Oil; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked can be used as a pot-herb or be added to salads. They are also added whole as a flavouring to wine. The leaves are rich in potassium and calcium, they have a salty cucumber flavour. Very hairy and unpleasant to eat whole leaves so chop finely, and add to rest of salad. The leaves should always be used fresh, because they lose their flavour and colour if dried.
Flowers – raw are a decorative garnish on salads and summer fruit drinks. The flowers are very nice, both to look at and to taste with a sweet slightly cucumber-like flavour.
A refreshing tea is made from the leaves and/or the flowers.
The dried stems are used for flavouring beverages.
The seed yields 30% oil.
An edible blue dye can be obtained from the flowers and is use to colour vinegar.

Other Uses: Dye; Repellent; cleanser; paint.

The growing plant is said to repel insects.
A blue dye is obtained from the flowers. This turns pink on contact with acids.
Mix leaf with barley and bran in a small muslin bag and use in a bath to cleanse and soften skin.
The flowers produce a nice pure blue for paints.

Farm Notes:

The seed ripens intermittently over a period of time and falls from the plant when it is ripe, making harvesting very intensive.
A good companion for strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes and most other plants

Box (DLG, Moreta)

Habitat: usually found wild on chalk and Limestone.

Medicinal Uses: Alterative; Antiperiodic; Antirheumatic; Cathartic; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Febrifuge; Homeopathy; Narcotic; Odontalgic; Oxytoxic; Sedative; Tonic; Vermifuge.

Use with caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The plant has not been fully tested for its toxic side effects.
Occasionally used in the past as a sedative and to treat syphilis.
The leaves and the bark are alterative, antirheumatic, cathartic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, febrifuge, oxytocic and vermifuge.
The leaves have been used as a quinine substitute in the treatment of malaria.
The leaves are harvested in the spring, before the plant comes into flower, and they are dried for later use.
The bark can be harvested at any time of the year and is dried for use in decoctions.
The wood is diaphoretic, in full dose it is narcotic and sedative, in overdose it is convulsant and emetico-cathartic.
A tincture of the wood is used as a bitter tonic and antiperiodic,.
A volatile oil distilled from the wood is prescribed in cases of epilepsy.
An essential oil obtained from the plant is used in dentistry.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant for use in the treatment of rheumatism.

Outside Info: An evergreen shrub growing to 5m by 5m at a slow rate. requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The foliage is pungently scented, especially when wet

Edible Uses: Beer.

Although the leaves have been used as a substitute for hops in making beer, the result would probably prove to be injurious.

Other Uses: Dye; Hedge; Wood.

Box makes an excellent hedge from 45cm to 4.5 metres tall according to the variety grown (in grubbed areas).
The leaves and sawdust, boiled in lye, have been used to dye hair an auburn colour.
Wood - hard, close grained, heavy. Although the wood is rather small, it is highly valued on account of its hardness - it is twice as hard as oak. Used for engraving, turnery, carving, printing blocks, bowls, combs, furniture and small items such as musical and mathematical instruments.

Farm Notes: A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -23°c, though it prefers milder winters.

Bran: Not a plant!

For those unsure of just what Bran is here you go: it is the indigestible outer husk of wheat, rice, oats and other cereal grains

Wheat bran when used properly in a high-fibre diet can help prevent intestinal disorders, as it helps prevent constipation; bran may also benefit people suffering from hemorrhoids. Used in excessive amounts can cause bloating and intestinal gas
Oat bran is loaded with soluble fibre, which is sticky and combines with water to form a thick gel. It helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and improves the glucose metabolism for people with diabetes. This helps in reducing the need for insulin and other medications.
Rice bran reduces cholesterol level from either the bran fibre or from the oil that is in the rice.

Note: All types of bran play an important role in weight control by promoting a feeling of fullness without overeating. Do not eat raw bran! (it can be painful and unpleasant) - Eat whole grain breads, cereals and other products that contain bran.

Brassicae (DLG)

Brassicae is part of the scientific name of a variety of plants including mustards. At one time, it may have been adopted as another name for mustard. Typical plants in the family are Broccoli, mustards, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, vetches etc – such plants are marked in this guide by the number 1 next to them.

Broccoli (Calabrese) - 1

Habitat: Temperate, resisting temperatures down to -17°c requires moist soil; can tolerate maritime exposure. Some varieties like dry and hot climates.

Medicinal Uses: None Known

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 0.9m;

Edible Uses: Flowers; Leaves.

Young flowering stems and leaves - raw or cooked.
The shoots of sprouting broccoli are harvested when about 10cm long, and before the flowers open, the shoots look somewhat like a small white or purple cauliflower and have a delicious flavour. Calabrese produce a central inflorescence like a small cauliflower and are very productive if they are regularly harvested

Other Uses: None Known

Farm Notes

When picking the stems, make sure that you leave behind a section of the stem with leaves on it, since the plants will often produce new side shoots from the leaf axils
A useful winter plant – as certain varieties (calabrese) are available Late summer to Autumn and others throughout the winter with some available (under cover) in late spring.
A good companion for celery and other aromatic plants since these seem to reduce insect predations.
Grows badly with potatoes, beet and onions.
Grows well with potatoes, beet and onions

Brown Mustard – 1 (DLG)

Habitat: Succeeds in full sun in most well-drained moisture-retentive fertile soils. Prefers a heavy soil and some shade. Dislikes very hot weather. Plants tolerate high rainfall and, although fairly deep rooted, are not very drought resistant. Widely adapted from Tropics to Temperate zones.

Medicinal Use: Anodyne; Antibiotic; Aperient; Diuretic; Emetic; Galactogogue; Rubefacient; Stimulant.

The seed is a warming stimulant herb with antibiotic effects.
Reported to be anodyne, aperitif, diuretic, emetic, rubefacient, and stimulant, Brown Mustard is a folk remedy for arthritis, foot ache, lumbago, and rheumatism.
The seed is used in the treatment of tumours, of abscesses, colds, lumbago, rheumatism, and stomach disorders. The root is used as a galactagogue in Africa.
Ingestion may impart a body odour repellent to certain insects.
Mustard oil is used in the treatment of skin eruptions and ulcers. Believed to be aperient and tonic, the volatile oil is used as a counterirritant and stimulant.
The plant is used as an antisyphilitic emmenagogue.
Leaves applied to the forehead are said to relieve headache.
Eat the leaves in soups for bladder, inflammation or haemorrhage.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.75m by 0.25m

Edible Use: Condiment; Flowers; Leaves; Oil; Root; Seed.

Leaves - raw or cooked. A peppery flavour that can range from mild to hot. The leaves can also be eaten raw, when finely shredded they make a very acceptable addition to mixed salads.
The protein extracted from the leaves mixes well with banana pulp and is well adapted as a pie filling.
Flowers and young flowering stems - raw or cooked. Sweet and succulent.
An edible semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed which contains 25 - 30% oil.
The seed is used as mustard flavouring. Pungency of mustard develops when cold water is added to the ground-up seed. The reaction takes 10 - 15 minutes. Mixing with hot water or vinegar, or adding salt produces a mild bitter mustard.
The seed is also used whole in curries and pickles. They are often heated in oil to destroy their pungency and give them a nutty flavour.
The root of some forms of this species is edible.
Sprouted seeds can be added to salads.

Other Use: Green manure; Repellent.

If this plant is grown as a green manure it is effective in reducing soil-borne root rots in pea crops. This is attributed to chemicals that are given off as the plants decay.

Farm Note: Sow the variety best adapted for the climate you are farming in.

Brussels Sprouts -1

Habitat: Temperate plant. Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil; tolerate maritime exposure. hardy to about -10°c

Medicinal Uses: None known

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 1.2m

Edible Uses: Leaves.

Leaf buds - raw or cooked. Well-grown plants produce an abundance of leaf-buds (looking rather like miniature cabbage heads) along the main stem at the leaf axils. These can be shredded and eaten raw in salads, though many people find them indigestible when eaten this way. They have a very nice cabbage flavour when cooked and are a very popular winter vegetable.

Other Uses: None known

Farm Notes:

By careful selection of varieties, and cutting out the central stalk on early varieties, it is possible to harvest the buds from summer until late spring.
Grows badly with strawberries, each plant serving to retard the growth of the other
Grows well with many aromatic herbs, these herbs help to repel insect pests. Some other plants that grow well with Brussels sprouts include potatoes and celery

Bulge-nut (Menai)

I have been unable to find this reference in the books.

Habitat: Igen/Lemos forest.

Edible Uses: Large quantities can be processed into flour for bread

Cabbage – 1

Habitat: Succeeds in any reasonable soil. Succeeds in maritime gardens

Medicinal Uses: None Known

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 0.75m

Edible Uses: Leaves; Seed.

Leaves - raw or cooked. Cabbages are generally used as a cooked vegetable, though the shredded leaves can also be eaten in salads.. Those leaves in the heart of the plants are more tender than outside leaves and so are also more suitable for eating raw. These heart leaves, though, are less nutritious because they have been excluded from the light. Many people find that the raw leaves give them indigestion. The leaves can be fermented and made into sauerkraut, used as a health food and said to be good for the digestive system.
Seeds - sprouted and added to salads. Very good eating.

Other Uses: Dye.

A blue dye can be obtained from the leaves of purple cultivars

Farm Notes:

By careful selection of cultivars, it is possible to harvest cabbages all year round. There are also some varieties that can be harvested in early winter and stored for a few months in a cool place to provide leaves in areas with very severe winters
Good companions for dill, camomile, sage, wormwood, mint and other aromatic plants which help to reduce insect predations on the cabbages.
Cabbages also grow well with potatoes and beet.
They grow badly with strawberries, tomatoes and climbing beans

Cauliflower – 1

Habitat: Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained moisture-retentive fertile soil with plenty of lime. Succeeds in maritime gardens. Heads will not form at temperatures about 20°c. Need to be exposed to temps of -10°c for some plants to regrow.

Medicinal Uses: None Known

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 0.75m.

Edible Uses: Flowers; Leaves.

Immature flowering head - raw or cooked. A mild cabbage-like flavour, they make an excellent cooked vegetable and are also very acceptable in salads Leaves - cooked.
A mild cabbage flavour, they make a good cooked vegetable.

Other Uses: Fungicide.

An extract of the seeds inactivates the bacteria that causes black rot

Farm Notes:

By careful selection of cultivars, it is possible to produce flowering heads all year round.
Grows well with celery and other aromatic plants since these seem to deter insect predations. Grows badly with beet, tomatoes, onions and strawberries

Celery (DLG)

Habitat: Nabol

Medicinal uses: Antiarthritic; Aperient; Carminative; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Galactogogue; Nervine; Stimulant; Tonic.

Although not as medicinally active as wild celery, the cultivated forms of celery also have the same medicinal properties and, when used as an item of the diet, will have a similar effect upon the body. These medicinal uses are as follows:-
Wild celery is an aromatic bitter tonic herb that reduces blood pressure, relieves indigestion, stimulates the uterus and is anti-inflammatory.
The ripe seeds, herb and root are aperient, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, nervine, stimulant and tonic.
It is useful in cases of hysteria, promoting restfulness and sleep and diffusing through the system a mild sustaining influence.
The herb should not be prescribed for pregnant women.
The root is harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried.
The whole plant is harvested when fruiting and is usually liquidized to extract the juice.
An essential oil obtained from the plant has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Some of its constituents have antispasmodic, sedative and anticonvulsant actions. It is shown to be of value in treating high blood pressure.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the herb. It is used in treating rheumatism and kidney complaints.

Outside Info:

Edible Uses: Condiment; Leaves; Root; Seed.

Leaf stems - raw or cooked. A fairly common salad ingredient, celery stems are also used to make soups, stews etc. The winter varieties can be bitter if they are not blanched by excluding light from the stems for at least a few weeks prior to harvesting. Many people find the raw stalks are somewhat indigestible.
Leaves - raw or cooked. They are often used as a flavouring in soups etc. They can also be eaten raw but have a very strong flavour and are probably best as a minor ingredient in a mixed salad.
Seed - used as a flavouring for sauces, soups, pickles etc
An essential oil from the seed is also used as a flavouring. Root - cooked. There is not much of it but it can be cut up and added to soups.

Other Uses: Repellent.

The growing plant is an insect repellent,

Farm Notes:

The seeds are harvested as they ripen and are dried for later use
leaf growth is poor at higher temperatures
A good companion for leeks, tomatoes, French beans and Brassicae

Cherries (DLG)

There are a large number of varieties of this fruit. The details below are for the main species of sweet cherry.

Habitat: It requires moist soil. Succeeds in light shade but fruits better in a sunny position. Thrives in a loamy soil, doing well on limestone. Plants are hardy to about -20°c

Medicinal Uses: Antitussive; Astringent; Diuretic; Tonic; Bitter; Febrifuge; Nervine; Salve.

The fruit stalks are astringent, diuretic and tonic.
A decoction is used in the treatment of cystitis, oedema, bronchial complaints, looseness of the bowels and anaemia
An aromatic resin can be obtained by making small incisions in the trunk. This is used as an inhalant in the treatment of persistent coughs.
Although no specific mention is seen for this species, all members of the genus contain amygdalin and prunasin, substances which break down in water to form hydrocyanic acid (cyanide or prussic acid). In small amounts this exceedingly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being.
The bark of the sour cherry is astringent, bitter and febrifuge.
An infusion of that bark is used in the treatment of fevers, coughs and colds.
The root bark is used as a wash for old sores and ulcers.
The seed is nervine.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 18m by 7m at a fast rate. The fruit is about 20mm in diameter and contains one large seed

Edible Uses: Fruit; Gum; Seed; Oil; Tea.

Fruit - raw or cooked. It can be sweet or bitter but it is not acid. The fruit can be cooked in pies etc or used to make preserves.
Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter as this means it will be toxic.
An edible gum is obtained by wounding the bark.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed of the sour cherry. When refined it is used as a salad oil
The leaves of the sour cherry are used as a tea substitute

Other Uses: Adhesive; Dye; Tannin; Wood.

A green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
The bark usually only contains small amounts of tannin, but this sometimes rises to 16%.
Wood - firm, compact, satiny grain. Used for turnery, furniture, instruments
The gum obtained from the stem is also used as an adhesive.

Farm Notes:

·         Where space is at a premium, or at the limits of their climatic range, sweet cherries can be grown against a wall

·         A bad companion for potatoes, making them more susceptible to potato blight, it also suppresses the growth of wheat.

It also grows badly with plum trees, its roots giving out an antagonistic secretion.

Chickpea –2 (see beans)

Cinnamon (implied)

Menai includes this on her list as Spice Root –Cinnamon is not a root but a bark. Also we know from Dragonsdawn that this is one of the plants that was struggling to adapt to Pernese conditions. It is therefore not included here.

Cinquefoil (DLG)

Habitat: Prefers light but can tolerate light shade.

Medicinal Uses: Antispasmodic; Astringent; Febrifuge; Odontalgic.

Both the roots and the herb are antispasmodic, astringent and febrifuge.
An infusion of the dried herb is used in the treatment of diarrhoea etc, it is also used as a gargle for sore throats and is used externally as an astringent lotion.
A concentrated decoction of the root relieves toothache.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 1m by 1m. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil

Edible Uses: Leaves.

Young leaves - raw. A useful addition to salads

Other Uses: Cosmetic.

The plant is an ingredient in many anti-wrinkle cosmetic preparations for the skin.

Farm Notes: An easy grower.

Citron (DLG, Moreta)

Used by Moreta as a hopeful preventative.

Habitat: The citron tree is highly sensitive to frost; does not enter winter dormancy as early as other Citrus species. Foliage and fruit easily damaged by very intense heat and drought. Best citron locations are those where there are no extremes of temperature.

Medicinal Uses: Preventive; abortificant; anti-nausea; purgative; dysentery; sedative; antibiotic

The fruit is a good provider of vitamin C
The leaves will abort human and animal foetuses
Citron juice with wine is a purgative to rid the system of poison
the peel is a remedy for dysentery and is eaten to overcome halitosis
The distilled juice is given as a sedative
A decoction of the shoots of wild plants is administered to improve appetite, relieve stomach-ache and expel intestinal worms
A leaf infusion is given as an antispasmodic
The essential oil of the peel is regarded as an antibiotic.

Outside Info: a slow-growing shrub or small tree reaching 8 to 15 ft high with stiff branches and stiff twigs and short or long spines in the leaf axils. flower buds are large and white or purplish; the fragrant flowers about 1 1/2 in (4 cm) wide, in short clusters

Edible Uses: Fruit; Juice; Peel

The fruits are large 15 to 25 cm long and 5 cm in diameter. The pulp is usually too bitter for most people.
The fruits are halved, depulped, immersed in seawater to ferment for about 40 days, the brine being changed every 2 weeks; rinsed, put in denser brine in wooden barrels for storage and for export. After partial de-salting and boiling to soften the peel, it is candied in a strong sucrose/glucose solution. These are used in confections across the planet.
The raw peel can be eaten with Rivergrains (rice).
The juice sacs are small and slender and the scanty juice is acidic and bitter.

Other Uses: Fragrance; cleanser; essential oil; wood

Citrons produce an extremely strong and pleasant odour of violets that will fill a cot for four weeks until it dries out – the fruit will not rot.
The juice is used to wash fine linen
Wood: Branches of the citron tree are used as walking-sticks in India. The wood is white, rather hard and heavy, and of fine grain. It is used for agricultural implements
essential oil can distilled from the peel, twigs or flowers for use in perfumery

Farm Notes: A precocious bearer, citron has a potential to yield as many as 2000 fruits a year

Citrus (DLG, Red Star Rising)

Citrus is mentioned several times, especially red, green and yellow varieties – I have listed these throughout the works.

Clovers - 2

There are several different varieties of clover, the two main common ones are presented here.

Red Clover

Habitat: Cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. tolerating temperatures down to at least -23°c

Medicinal Uses: Alterative; Antiscrophulatic; Antispasmodic; Aperient; Cancer; Detergent; Diuretic; Expectorant; Miscellany; Sedative; Skin; Tonic.

Red clover is safe and effective herb with a long history of medicinal usage.
It is commonly used to treat skin conditions, normally in combination with other purifying herbs.
Flavonoids in the flowers and leaves are oestrogenic and may be of benefit in the treatment of menopausal complaints.
The flowering heads are alterative, antiscrofulous, antispasmodic, aperient, detergent, diuretic, expectorant, sedative and tonic.
It has also shown anticancer activity.
Poultices of the herb have been used as local applications to cancerous growths.
Internally, the plant is used in the treatment of skin complaints (especially eczema and psoriasis), cancers of the breast, ovaries and lymphatic system, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, whooping cough and dry coughs.
Diseased clover (even if the clover shows no external symptoms of disease) is toxic.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.6m at a medium rate

Edible Uses: Condiment; Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed; Tea.

Leaves and young flowering heads - raw or cooked.
The young leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower, and are used in salads, soups etc. On their own they can be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach.
The leaves are best cooked. They can be dried, powdered and sprinkled on foods such as boiled rice.
The seed can be sprouted and used in salads. A crisp texture and more robust flavour than alfalfa.. Ingesting the seed before sprouting will stop a person’s digestion of protein.
Root – cooked
A delicate sweet herb tea is made from the fresh or dried flowers.

Other Uses: Dye; Green manure; Soil reclamation.

A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers
The plant makes a good green manure, it is useful for over-wintering
It is also grown with grass mixtures for land reclamation

Farm Notes:

it has good nitrogen fixing properties.
It can be under-sown with cereals though it may be too vigorous
It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better.

White Clover:

Habitat: Cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. Medicinal Uses: Antirheumatic; Antiscrophulatic; Depurative; Detergent; Ophthalmic; Tonic.

The plant is antirheumatic, antiscrophulatic, depurative, detergent and tonic.
An infusion is used in the treatment of coughs, colds, fevers and leucorrhoea.
A tincture of the leaves is applied as an ointment to gout.
An infusion of the flowers is used as an eyewash.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.1m by 1m at a medium rate

Edible Uses: Condiment; Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb
The young leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower, and are used in salads, soups etc. On their own they can be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach.
The leaves are best cooked. They can be dried, powdered and sprinkled on foods such as boiled rice.
Flowers and seed pods are dried, ground into powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods such as boiled rice[183]. Very wholesome and nutritious[115]. The young flowers can also be used in salads
Root – cooked
Dried flowering heads are a tea substitute.

Other Uses: Green manure.

The plant makes a good green manure, it is useful for over-wintering

Farm Notes:

it has good nitrogen fixing properties.
It can be under sown with cereals though it may be too vigorous
It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better.

Coconut (Softnut) (Dolphins of Pern, poss Moreta)

Habitat: Tropical

Medicinal Uses:

Outside info:

Edible Uses:

Other Uses: Fibre

The nut produces a brown coarse fibre that can be woven

Comfrey (DLG, Moreta, Nerilka)

Habitat: Fort Hold; It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. Likes damp grasslands, river banks and woodlands

Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Astringent; Demulcent; Emollient; Expectorant; Haemostatic; Homeopathy; Refrigerant; Vulnerary.

The root and the leaves are used, the root being more active, and they can be taken internally or used externally as a poultice.
Comfrey is especially useful in the external treatment of cuts, bruises, sprains, sores, eczema, varicose veins, broken bones etc,
Internally it is used in the treatment of a wide range of pulmonary complaints, internal bleeding etc.
It contains 'allantoin', that speeds up the healing process and is used in healing creams by the Healer Hall.
The root and leaves are anodyne, astringent (mild), demulcent, emollient, expectorant, haemostatic, refrigerant, vulnerary.
Some caution is advised, however, especially in the internal use of the herb. External applications and internally taken teas or tinctures of the leaves are considered to be completely safe, but internal applications of tablets or capsules are felt to have too many drawbacks for safe usage as the plant can be toxic.
The leaves are harvested in early summer before the plant flowers, the roots are harvested in the autumn. Both are dried for later use.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested before the plant flowers with a very limited range of application, but is of great benefit in the treatment of broken bones and eye injuries.
The leaf and root can be infused and added to a bath or lotion to soften skin

Outside Info:. Oval, pointed leaf is marbled with green and yellow. Flowers range from blue to pink to white, and bloom in spring. The plants grow to 120cm.

Edible Uses: Leaves; Tea; Root

Young leaves - cooked or raw. The leaf is hairy and full of minerals but it is not pleasant eating for most tastes as a full leaf. It can be chopped up finely and added to salads, in this way the hairiness is not so obvious.
Young shoots can be used as an asparagus substitute using blanched stalks.
Older leaves can be dried and used as a tea.
The peeled roots are cut up and added to soups.
A tea is made from the dried leaves and roots].
The roasted roots are used with dandelion and chicory roots for making Klah.

Other Uses: Biomass; Compost; Gum.

The plant grows very quickly, producing a lot of bulk. It is tolerant of being cut several times a year and can be used to provide 'instant compost' for crops such as potatoes. Simply layer the wilted leaves at the bottom of the potato trench or apply them as a mulch in no-dig gardens.
A liquid feed can be obtained by soaking the leaves in a small amount of water for a week, excellent for potassium demanding crops such as tomatoes.
The leaves are also a very valuable addition to the compost heap.
A gum obtained from the roots is used in the treatment of wool before spinning.

Farm Notes:

Grow in restricted area as the root system is very deep and difficult to eradicate, even small fragments of root left in the soil can produce new plants

Conifers (DLG)

A conifer is a type of tree and not really a distinct species. As the location given is Tillek and the High Reaches, I have chosen a number of the colder climate varieties as representatives for the whole family.

Alpine Pine

Habitat: Prefers a good moist but not water-logged soil Very shade tolerant

Medicinal Uses: Antihalitosis; Antiseptic; Emetic; Foot care; Laxative; Poultice; TB; Tonic.

Antiseptic. The gummy exudate that appears on the bark was soaked in water until soft and then applied to wounds. An infusion of the resin is used as an emetic to cleanse the insides.
The resin has also been chewed to treat bad breath.
A decoction of the bark is used as a tonic and in the treatment of colds and flu.
A poultice of the leaves is used to treat chest colds and fevers. An infusion is taken to treat the coughing up of blood, which can be the first sign of TB, and as a laxative.

Outside Info: An evergreen tree growing to 25m by 4m at a slow rate

Edible Uses: Gum; Inner bark; Seed; Seedpod; Tea.

The shoot tips are used as a tea substitute.
The cones can be ground into a fine powder, then mixed with fat and used as a confection. It is said to be a delicacy and an aid to the digestion.
The resin from the trunk is used as a chewing gum. It is said to treat bad breath.
Inner bark. Inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread etc. Seeds. The seeds are very small and fiddly to use. Seeds of this genus are generally oily with a resinous flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Other Uses: Baby care; Deodorant; Gum; Hair; Incense; Miscellany; Repellent; Wood.

The fragrant young leaves and twigs are used to repel moths or are burnt as an incense.
They are also ground into a powder and used to make a baby powder and perfumes.
A gum is obtained from the bark. It is antiseptic and is chewed in order to clean the teeth. It is also used to plug holes in canoes etc.
An infusion of the leaves is used as a hair tonic.
The leaves can also be placed in the shoes as a foot deodorant.
Wood - light, soft, not strong.

Farm Notes:

The crushed foliage has a balsam aroma
Does best on Northern slopes

Norway spruce:

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure

Medicinal Uses: Antibiotic; Antiseptic; Balsamic; Expectorant; Poultice; Sedative.

The buds, leaves and resin are antibiotic, antiseptic, balsamic, expectorant, sedative.
A pitch, or resin, obtained from the trunk is rubefacient and stimulant. It is used externally in plasters etc for its healing and antiseptic properties.
A poultice of the sap or gum is used in the treatment of boil and abscess pain

Outside Info: An evergreen tree growing to 30m by 10m at a fast rate

Edible Uses: Flowers; Inner bark; Seed; Tea; Beer.

Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring.
Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy.
Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread. An emergency food, used when all else fails.
Seed - raw. Rich in oil and with a pleasant slightly resinous flavour, but too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate.
A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips. These tips are also used in making spruce beer

Other Uses: Adhesive; Essential; Ground cover; Pitch; Shelterbelt; Tannin; Varnish; Wood.

The tree is a source of pitch (Burgundy pitch) and turpentine (Jura turpentine. Burgundy pitch is used as a varnish and in medicinal plasters. It is a strong adhesive. The turpentine is a waterproofer and wood preservative. They are obtained by incisions in the trunk, the resin is scraped out some months later.
An essential oil from the leaves is used in perfumery.
The seed contains 30% of a fatty oil, this is used in the production of a varnish.
Both the bark and bark extract have been widely used as a source of tannin, the bark containing up to 13% tannin. Yields of tannin have been doubled by heating or steaming the bark as soon as possible after the tree is felled. A fairly wind resistant tree and fast growing, it can be planted in shelterbelts to provide protection from the wind. Dwarf cultivars are grown as a ground cover plant in a sunny position spaced about 1 metre apart.
Wood - medium hard, fairly elastic, durable under water, light in weight and colour. Used for general carpentry, joinery, musical instruments etc.

Farm Notes:

Likes abundant moisture at the roots
The bruised leaves emit a delicious musky smell

Silver fir

Habitat: Requires a generous rainfall and a sheltered position. Intolerant of windy sites

Medicinal Use: Antibiotic; Antirheumatic; Antiseptic; Astringent; Balsamic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Vasoconstrictor; Vulnerary.

The buds are antibiotic, antiseptic and balsamic.
The bark is antiseptic and astringent. It can be harvested as required throughout the year.
The leaves are expectorant and a bronchial sedative. They are best harvested in the spring and can be dried for later use.
The resin is antiseptic, balsamic, diuretic, eupeptic, expectorant, vasoconstrictor and vulnerary.
Both the leaves and the resin are common ingredients in remedies for colds and coughs, either taken internally or used as an inhalant.
The leaves and/or the resin are used in folk medicine to treat bronchitis, cystitis, leucorrhoea, ulcers and flatulent colic.
The resin is also used externally in bath extracts, rubbing oils etc for treating rheumatic pains and neuralgia.
Oil of Turpentine, which is obtained from the trunk of the tree, is occasionally used instead of the leaves or the resin. The oil is also rubefacient and can be applied externally in the treatment of neuralgia.

Outside Info: An evergreen tree growing to 45m by 15m at a fast rate. It requires moist soil

Edible Use: Inner bark.

Inner bark - cooked. It is dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread

Other Use: Essential; Lacquer; Paint; Resin; Tannin; Wood.

An oleo-resin is obtained from blister-like swellings in the bark. It is harvested in the summer and used fresh, dried or distilled for oil. The resin extracted from it is used in perfumery, medicine and for caulking ships. It is called 'Strasburg Turpentine'.
Oil of turpentine is an important solvent in the paint industry. The residue, known as 'rosin oil', is used in making varnishes, lacquers and carbon black (for pigments and ink). Resin is tapped from trees about 60 - 80 years old in the spring and used for the distillation of oil.
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is used as a disinfectant and also in medicine and perfumery. It is a common ingredient in many bath products, giving them their familiar pine scent.
The bark is a source of tannin.
Wood - light, soft, durable, elastic. The timber of this tree is especially sought after for its lightness, it is used for construction, furniture, boxes, pulp etc.

Maritime pine:

Habitat: Coastal sands and dunes, it is also found on mountains inland.

Medicinal Use: antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient and vermifuge.

The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient and vermifuge. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections.
It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB.
Externally it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc and is used in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers.

Outside Info: An evergreen tree growing to 20m by 7m at a fast rate. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure

Edible Uses: Condiment.

Seed - raw or cooked. Rich in oil, it has a resinous flavour. The seed is about 1cm long.
A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood.

Other Uses

Dye; Herbicide; Oil; Resin; Shelterbelt; Soil stabilization; Wood.

Planted as a shelterbelt along exposed coasts and also to stabilize sandy soils.
A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles.
The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat.
This species is the major source of resin obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields.
Rosin is the substance left after turpentine is removed. This is used by violinists on their bows and also in making sealing wax, varnish etc.
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc.
Wood - rough carpentry, boxes, pit props etc. A source of pulp wood.

Coriander (DLG)

Habitat: When growing for the seed or essential oil a sunny position is preferred, otherwise partial shade.

Medicinal Uses: Antihalitosis; Aromatherapy; Aromatic; Carminative; Expectorant; Narcotic; Stimulant; Stomachic.

Coriander is valued especially for its effect on the digestive system, treating flatulence, diarrhoea and colic.
It settles spasms in the gut and counters the effects of nervous tension.
The seed is aromatic, carminative, expectorant, narcotic, stimulant and stomachic. It is most often used with active purgatives in order to disguise their flavour and combat their tendency to cause gripe.
The raw seed is chewed to stimulate the flow of gastric juices and to cure foul breath and will sweeten the breath after garlic is eaten.
Some caution is advised, however, because if used too freely the seeds become narcotic.
Externally the seeds have been used as a lotion or have been bruised and used as a poultice to treat rheumatic pains.
The essential oil is used in aromatherapy as an 'Appetite stimulant'

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.45m by 0.25m, flowers in summer

Edible Uses: Condiment; Leaves; Seed.

Leaves - raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in salads, soups etc and the fresh leaves are probably the most widely used flavouring herb on Pern.
The leaves have an aromatic flavour
The leaves should not be eaten in large quantities
Seed - cooked. It is used as a flavouring in many dishes including cakes, bread and curries, it is also widely used to flavour certain alcoholic liquors.
The fresh seed has a disagreeable and nauseous smell, but when dried it becomes fragrant, the longer it is kept the more fragrant it becomes.
The root is powdered and used as a condiment.
An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring
The root is added to curries and the stem to beans and soups

Other Uses: Essential; Fuel; Fungicide; Insecticide; Oil; Repellent.

An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring, in perfumery, soap making etc. It is also fungicidal and bactericidal.
The growing plant repels mites and insects. A spray made by boiling of one part coriander leaves and one part anise (see Ezob) seeds in two parts of water is very effective against red spider mites and woolly aphids.
An oil from the seed is used for making soap. The seed contains about 20% fixed oil.,
The dried stems are used as a fuel.

Farm Notes: Plants yield about 1¾ tonnes per acre of seed.

Corn (DLG, Dolphins of Pern)

Habitat: Requires a warm position a well drained soil and ample moisture in the growing season

Medicinal Uses: Cancer; Cholagogue; Demulcent; Diuretic; Hypoglycaemic; Hypotensive; Lithontripic; Stimulant; Vasodilator; Warts.

A decoction of the leaves and roots is used in the treatment of strangury, dysuria and gravel.
The corn silks are cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, lithontripic, mildly stimulant and vasodilator.
They also act to reduce blood sugar levels and so are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus as well as cystitis, gonorrhoea, gout etc. The silks are harvested before pollination occurs and are best used when fresh because they tend to lose their diuretic effect when stored and also become purgative.
A decoction of the cob is used in the treatment of nose bleeds and menorrhagia.
The seed is diuretic and a mild stimulant. It is a good emollient poultice for ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains, and is widely used in the treatment of cancer, tumours and warts..

Outside Info: Annual growing to 2m at a fast rate

Edible Uses: Klah; Oil; Pollen; Seed; Stem.

Seed - raw or cooked. The seed can be eaten raw or cooked before it is fully ripe and there are varieties especially developed for this purpose (the sweet corns) that have very sweet seeds and are delicious.
The mature seed can be dried and used whole or ground into a flour. It has a very mild flavour and is used especially as a thickening agent in foods.
The starch is often extracted from the grain and used in making confectionery, noodles etc.
The seed can also be sprouted and used in making uncooked breads and cereals.
The fresh succulent 'silks' (the flowering parts of the cob) can also be eaten.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it is an all-purpose culinary oil that is frequently used as a food in salads and for cooking purposes.
The pollen is used as an ingredient of soups. Rich in protein, it is harvested by tapping the flowering heads over a flat surface such as a bowl. Harvesting the pollen will actually help to improve fertilisation of the seeds.
The roasted seed is a Klah substitute.
The pith of the stem is chewed like sugar cane and is sometimes made into a syrup.

Other uses: Adhesive; Fuel; Oil; Packing; Paper.

A glue is made from the starch in the seed.
This starch is also used in cosmetics and the manufacture of glucose.
A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed. It has many industrial uses, in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, soaps etc.
The corn spathes are used in the production of paper, straw hats and small articles such as little baskets.
A fibre obtained from the stems and seed husks is used for making paper. They are harvested in late summer after the seed is harvested, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked in clear water for 24 hours. They are then cooked for 2 hours in soda ash and then beaten in a ball mill for 1½ hours in a ball mill. The fibres make a light greenish cream paper. Be careful not to overcook the fibre otherwise it will produce a sticky pulp that is very hard to form into paper.
The dried cobs are used as a fuel.
The pith of the stems is used as a packing material.

Farm Notes:

Corn grows well with early potatoes, legumes, dill, cucurbits

Cotton (DLG, Red Star Rising)

Habitat: sand+clay soil, Succeeds in sun or shade in most well-drained moist soils Fort Hold, Boll, Southern

Medicinal Uses: Cardiotonic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emetic; Expectorant; Tonic; VD; Vermifuge; Warts.

It is an unpleasantly bitter stimulant irritant herb that acts on the heart, respiratory and urinary systems, and also on the uterus. It can be employed to treat a wide variety of complaints including rheumatism, coughs, pox, whooping cough, asthma, internal parasites, diarrhoea and also to increase milk flow in lactating mothers.
The plant should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner if taken internally.
The root is cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic and expectorant and is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.
The fresh root is the most active part medicinally. It is used in the treatment of syphilis and as a tonic.
A weak tea made from the dried root is used for cardiac diseases.
A tea made from the root is used as a vermifuge. The milky sap is a folk remedy for venereal warts.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.6m by 1m

Edible Uses: Gum; Seed.

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used as a meal.
A latex obtained from the plant is used as a chewing gum. After the latex is squeezed from the plant it s allowed to stand overnight to harden into a white gum.

Other Uses: Fibre; Latex.

A very good quality fibre obtained from the bark is used for making clothes, twine, bags, linen, paper etc. It is about 12 - 18mm long. Very strong, it does not shrink and it retains its strength in water. The fibre is produced late in the season, it can be harvested after the leaves fall in autumn but is probably at its best as the seed pods are forming.
When making paper, the stems can be retted by leaving them in the ground until they are dry in the winter or they can be harvested in late summer, the leaves removed and the stems steamed to remove the fibre. The stems are then cooked for two hours with lye and pounded with mallets.
The plant yields a latex which is a possible source of rubber. The latex is also used as a chewing gum.

Farm Notes:

Plants can be invasive.

Cottonwood tree (DLG)

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil Dislikes shade, it is intolerant of root or branch competition

Medicinal Uses: Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Antiscorbutic; Febrifuge; Odontalgic.

A tea made from the inner bark is used in the treatment of scurvy.
The bark contains salicin, that decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps.
The woolly fruit is moistened and applied to the gums in order to treat infections.
A tea made from the fruits is used in the treatment of toothache.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 30m at a fast rate

Edible Uses: Gum; Inner bark; Sweetener.

Inner bark - inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread.
A 'honeydew', produced on the undersides of leaves by aphis, can be collected and used as a sweetener.
The buds have been used as a chewing gum.

Other uses: Basketry; Rooting hormone; Soil stabilization; Wood.

An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day.
The young shoots are used in making baskets.
The highly developed root system helps to reduce erosion when trees are planted on banks and slopes.
Wood - weak, soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion.

Farm Notes: Cottonwood is a very weak-wooded tree, and branches may come down in heavy storms

Variety – Eastern Cottonwood

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil Dislikes shade, it is intolerant of root or branch competition. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition. Tolerates both hot and cool summers. Fairly wind-tolerant.

Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Anthelmintic; Antiinflammatory; Antiscorbutic; Blood purifier; Febrifuge; Poultice; Tonic.

· The bark contains salicin, a glycoside that decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body.

· The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps.

· An infusion of the bark is used in the treatment of whooping cough and tuberculosis.

· A decoction of the bark is used to rid the body of intestinal worms. The bark is eaten as a treatment for colds.

· A tea made from the inner bark is used in the treatment of scurvy.

· A poultice of the leaves is used as a treatment for rheumatism, bruises, sores and boils.

Outside Info: A deciduous tree growing to 30m at a fast rate

Edible Uses: Inner bark; Leaves; Seed.

· Inner bark. A mucilaginous texture, it is usually harvested in the spring. There are no more details but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread.

· Seeds. No more details are given but they are very small and would be exceedingly fiddly to collect and use.

· Sap - used for food.

· Buds. No more details are given.

· The leaves are rich in protein and have a greater amino-acid content than wheat, corn, rice and barley. A concentrate made from them is as nourishing as meat, but can be produced faster and more cheaply. Some people believe that this will become a major food source for humans.

Other uses: Biomass; Dye; Pioneer; Rooting hormone; Shelterbelt; Soil stabilization; Wood.

· An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day.

· Various dyes can be obtained from the leaf buds in the spring - green, white, yellow, purple and red have been mentioned.

· Trees are planted for dune fixing in erosion control programmes. They are also good pioneer species, growing quickly to provide a good habitat for other woodland trees and eventually being out-competed by those trees.

· A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting though it is easily storm-damaged.

· The wood is used as a bio-mass for producing methanol, which can be used to power internal combustion engines.

· Wood - weak, soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion but warps and shrinks badly. It weighs 24lb per cubic foot. The wood takes paint well, is easy to glue and nail.

Farm Notes:

Creeper vine (White Dragon)

Habitat: Unknown, but prefers similar conditions to wheat and barley.

Medicinal Use: Unknown

Outside Info: Clinging vine, similar to bindweed

Edible Uses: Unknown. Likely to be toxic.

Other Uses: Unknown

Farm Notes: Grows from borders of grain field to strangle crops.

Cress – See Land Cress and Water Cress entries. (Nerilka, Dragonsong)

Menolly’s greens are mentioned as being cress. As there is both a Land and Water Cress, I have mentioned both.

Land cress:

Habitat: It requires moist soil.

Medicinal Uses: Antiasthmatic; Antiscorbutic; Aperient; Diuretic; Galactogogue; Poultice; Stimulant.

The leaves are antiscorbutic, diuretic and stimulant.
The plant is administered in cases of asthma, cough with expectoration and bleeding piles.
The root is used in the treatment of secondary syphilis and tenesmus.
The seeds are galactogogue. They have been boiled with milk and used to procure an abortion, they have been applied as a poultice to pains and hurts and have also been used as an aperient.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.45m

Edible Uses: Condiment; Leaves; Oil.

Young leaves - raw or cooked. A hot cress-like flavour, it makes an excellent addition (in small quantities) to the salad bowl.
Root is used as a condiment. A hot pungent flavour, but the root is rather small and woody.
The fresh or dried seedpods can be used as a pungent seasoning.
The seed can be sprouted in relatively low light until the shoots are a few centimetres long and then be used in salads. They take about 7 days to be ready and have a pleasantly hot flavour.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed

Other Uses: Oil.

The seed yields up to 58% of an edible oil that can also be used for lighting

Farm Notes:

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils

Cucumber (DLG, Dragonsdawn)

Habitat: Requires a rich, well-drained moisture retentive soil and a warm very sunny position

Medicinal Uses: Aperient; Diuretic; Skin; Tonic; Vermifuge.

The leaf juice is emetic, it is used to treat dyspepsia in children.
The fruit is depurative, diuretic, emollient, purgative and resolvent. The fresh fruit is used internally in the treatment of blemished skin, heat rash etc, whilst it is used externally as a poultice for burns, sores etc and also as a cosmetic for softening the skin.
The seed is cooling, diuretic, tonic and vermifuge. 25 - 50 grams of the thoroughly ground seeds (including the seed coat) is a standard dose as a vermifuge and usually needs to be followed by a purgative to expel the worms from the body.
A decoction of the root is diuretic.

Outside Info: Annual Climber growing to 2m

Edible Uses: Fruit; Leaves; Oil; Seed.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The cucumber is a common ingredient of salads, being valued mainly for its crisp texture and juiciness. However, it is very watery, with little flavour and is not very nutritious. Some people find the fruit to be indigestible. The fruit varies widely in size between cultivars but can be up to 1 metre long. It can be available from mid summer until early autumn from outdoor grown plants.
Seed - raw. Rich in oil with a nutty flavour but very fiddly to use because the seed is small and covered with a fibrous coat.
Young leaves and stems - cooked as a potherb.
Oil from seed. (resembles olive oil

Other Uses: Cosmetic; Repellent.

Cucumber skins have been shown to repel cockroaches in laboratory experiments.
The fruit is applied to the skin as a cleansing cosmetic to soften and whiten it. The juice is used in many beauty products.
The roots of cucumber plants secrete a substance that inhibits the growth of most weeds

Farm Notes:

Cucumbers make good companion plants for sweet corn and beans, but they dislike growing with potatoes and aromatic herbs.

Deal (DLG)

Deal is not a tree! Instead it refers to the type of woods available from 3 types of conifer. "White" deal from the Norway Spruce (Abies excela); "Red" deal from Scots

Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and "Yellow" deal from Yellow Pine (Pinus mities).

Dragon's tongue (DLG)

The Dragons Tongue plant is an indigenous Pernese plant that is reputed to have identical medicinal properties as Aloe Vera (qv). See that entry.

Edible Uses: Unknown but likely toxic

Other Uses: Unknown

Ezob (Anise Hyssop) (DLG, Moreta)

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c

Medicinal Uses: Cardiac; Diaphoretic; Pectoral; Poultice.

The leaves are cardiac and diaphoretic.
An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of colds, fevers, weak heart etc. When left to go cold, the infusion is used to treat pains in the chest (such as when the lungs are sore from too much coughing).
A poultice of leaves and stems can be used to treat burns.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.9m by 0.4m.  A grey-green triangular-stemmed plant which proliferates in the warm and jungle climates of Pern. The three sided, spotted leaves are a dead giveaway to the Ezob, which flowers dark purple during season

Edible Uses: Leaves; Tea.

Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in raw or cooked dishes. They make a delicious addition to the salad bowl and can also be used to flavour cooked foods, especially acid fruits. The only drawback to the leaves is that they tend to have a drying effect in the mouth and so cannot be eaten in quantity.
A pleasant tasting tea is made from the leaves

Other Uses: None known

Farm Notes:

Featherfern (DLG, Moreta, Renegades)

Habitat: A low-lying leafy plant that grows in damp areas from mid-spring to early fall. The plant tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure

Medicinal Uses: Febrifuge

·         Used to relieve fever, used in tonic. Also used on runners

Outside Info: The broad green leaves are soft to the touch, hence the name feather fern. The leaves, also not coincidentally resemble giant feathers of a Wherry or similar flying(non-draconic) animal.

Edible Uses: Unknown but likely to be toxic

Other Uses: Unknown

Farm Notes:

Feverfew (Moreta)

Habitat:

Medicinal Uses: Antiecchymotic; Antiinflammatory; Antispasmodic; Aperient; Bitter; Carminative; Emmenagogue; Sedative; Stimulant; Stings; Stomachic; Vasodilator; Vermifuge.

·         Feverfew is used as a herb for treating arthritis and rheumatism.

·         The leaves and flowering heads are anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, aperient, bitter, carminative, emmenagogue, sedative, stimulant, stings, stomachic, vasodilator and vermifuge.

·         The plant is gathered as it comes into flower and can be dried for later use.

·         Use with caution, the fresh leaves can cause dermatitis and mouth ulcers if consumed. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women.

·         A tea made from the whole plant is used in the treatment of arthritis, colds, fevers etc. It is said to be sedative and to regulate menses. An infusion is used to bathe swollen feet.

·         Applied externally as a tincture, the plant is used in the treatment of bruises etc. Chewing 1 - 4 leaves per day has proven to be effective against migraines

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.3m

Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

The dried flowers are used as a flavouring in cooking certain pastries.
The plant is used in cooking to impart a deliciously aromatic bitter taste to certain foods.
A tea is made from the dried flowers.

Other Uses: Essential; Repellent.

·         The dried flower buds are a source of an insecticide. Steep 1 cupful of the dried flowers in one litre of hot soapy water for an hour. Strain, then allow to cool slightly before use.

·         An essential oil from the plant is used in perfumery.

Farm Notes:

The leaves have a refreshing aromatic aroma.

Fellis Tree (DLG, Skies of Pern, Dragonsong, Moreta, Nerilka, Masterharper, Renegades, Dragonquest)

Habitat & Location: Southern Weyr area, Nerat, Telgar Hold, Fort Hold, Paradise River

Medicinal Use: Anodyne; Sedative; Narcotic

Fruit: Fellis juice is made from the fruit, which has though skins.
Large enough amounts can be lethal.
The leaves and stems are boiled to produce the naturally narcotic Fellis juice, which varies in concentration according to how long it is boiled
The juices of the Fellis have great medicinal value but should be used with caution as the juice is highly addictive.
Poisonous to Dragon kind
It should not be given in pregnancy, in combination with other painkillers, or to a patient with a head wound.

1 drop will lessen pain without causing drowsiness.
2 drops will relieve pain and cause an intoxicated feeling.
5 drops will bring on deep dreamless sleep for 12 hours.
10 drops will kill

Outside Info: small, branchy, drooping tree. Flowers: fragrant, pink(Dragonquest) yellow(Dragon Lovers Guide) clustered blooms with pointed petals. Has clusters of berry-like fruit.

Edible Use: Unknown but unlikely

Other Use: Dye

Dye (dyes wherhide a deep green)

Farm Notes:

This is a common herb all throughout Pern and its growing season is from late spring to early fall

Ferns

Growth form: Fern

Habitat: Southern Weyr

General habitat: tropical regions

Uses: improvised bedding

Fingeroots (carrots) (DLG)

Known locations: Fort Hold, Nabol

Habitat: requires moist soil, the plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. Fingeroots tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 31 to 410cm, an annual temperature range of 3.6 to 28.5°C. are widely cultivated in most areas of the world for their edible root, which can be available all year round from successional sowings.

Medicinal Uses: Anthelmintic; Carminative; Deobstruent; Diuretic; Galactogogue; Ophthalmic; Stimulant.

Cultivated fingeroot roots are a rich source of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A by the liver. When used as a regular item in the diet the roots improve eyesight and skin health, and also have anti-cancer effects.
A wonderful cleansing medicine, it supports the liver and stimulates urine flow and the removal of waste by the kidneys.
The root is diuretic and ophthalmic. The juice of organic fingeroots is a delicious drink and a valuable detoxifier.
The raw root, grated or mashed, is a safe treatment for threadworms, especially in children.
The seed is carminative, galactogogue, lithontripic and stimulant. They are useful in the treatment of kidney diseases, dropsy and to settle the digestive system. They stimulate menstruation and have been used in folk medicine as a treatment for hangovers.

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 1.2m by 0.3m

Edible Uses: Klah; Colouring; Condiment; Leaves; Root.

Root - raw or cooked. The roots of well-grown plants are crisp, sweet and juicy, they are very nice raw and are also cooked as a vegetable or added to soups, stews etc. The grated root is a tasty addition to the salad bowl.
The juice can be extracted from the root and used as a health-promoting drink. The root is very rich in carotene, which is transformed by the body into vitamin A when it is eaten. The root is sometimes ground into a powder and used in making cakes, bread etc.
The roasted root is a Klah substitute.
Leaves - raw or cooked. A very strong flavour, they can be added in small quantities to mixed salads. The leaves contain an oil that is rich in vitamin E, they are sometimes used as a flavouring in soups.
An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring.

Other Uses: Alcohol; Dye; Essential.

The roots are fermented in order to produce alcohol.
An orange dye is obtained from the root.
An essential oil from the seed has a distinctive fragrance and is used in perfumery

Farm Notes:

·         Plants are extremely sensitive to soil conditions, good roots can only be produced in a soil that permits easy penetration of the root.

They grow badly with potatoes, kohl rabi, fennel and cabbages.

Flax (DLG)

Habitat: Prefers a light well-drained moderately fertile humus-rich soil in a sunny sheltered position.

Medicinal Uses: Analgesic; Cancer; Cardiotonic; Demulcent; Emollient; Expectorant; Laxative; Nervine; Pectoral; Resolvent; VD.

Its main effects are as a laxative and expectorant that soothes irritated tissues, controls coughing and relieves pain. The seed, or the oil from the seed are normally used.
The seed is analgesic, demulcent, emollient, laxative, pectoral and resolvent.
The crushed seed makes a very useful poultice in the treatment of ulceration, abscesses and deep-seated inflammations.
An infusion of the seed contains a good deal of mucilage and is a valuable domestic remedy for coughs, colds and inflammation of the urinary organs. If the seed is bruised and then eaten straight away, it will swell considerably in the digestive tract and stimulate peristalsis and so is used in the treatment of chronic constipation.
The oil in the seed is used to treat mental deficiencies in adults. It also has soothing and lubricating properties, and is used in medicines to soothe tonsillitis, sore throats, coughs, colds, constipation, gravel and stones. When mixed with an equal quantity of lime water it is used to treat burns and scalds.
The bark and the leaves are used in the treatment of gonorrhoea.
The flowers are cardiotonic and nervine.
The plant has a long history of folk use in the treatment of cancer. It is found to contain various anticancer agents.

Outside Info: It has slender stems with linear green leaves, flat blue flowers, and oily brown seeds

Edible Uses: Klah; Oil; Seed.

Seed - raw or cooked. The seed is used in breads and cereals, it can also be sprouted and used in salads. The seed is hard to digest and provokes flatulence.
The roasted seed is said to be a Klah substitute.
A herbal tea can be brewed from the seed.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed, though it needs to be properly refined before it can be eaten. Some caution is advised in the use of the seeds for

Other Uses: Fibre; Gum; Oil; Size.

A fibre is obtained from the stem. It is of very high quality and is used in making cloth, sails, nets, paper, insulating material etc.
When used for paper making, the stems are harvested in late summer or autumn when they are two thirds yellow and are then retted. The fibre is then stripped from the stem, cooked for two hours or more with lye and then beaten in a Hollander beater.
The seed contains a drying oil. It has a very wide range of applications including as a wood preservative, an ingredient of oil-based paints, furniture polishes, printer's inks, soap making etc.
A mucilage from the soaked or boiled seeds is used as a size for linen warps.

Farm Notes:

It is a good companion plant for potatoes and carrots
A very greedy plant, depleting the soil and requiring a rich, well prepared soil if it is to do well. Plants help to break up organic matter and prepare the soil for following crops.

Flax (DLG)

A native species can also be used as Flax fibres. This may also be the plant referred to in All the Weyrs of Pern and Dolphins of Pern that they use for fibre.

Frond Tree (Skies of Pern)

Habitat: Southern Continent, at least coastal. Quite wind resistant.

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info: Trees are very large and have large fronds.

Edible Uses: Unknown

Other uses: Shelterbelt

Young saplings are grown for shelterbelts against the strong winter winds in Southern.

Fungi

A number of Fungi types are listed in sources, but without any sufficient information to provide a more detailed breakdown. Most, however, seem to be They are:

Fungi, cavern Indigenous (Dragons dawn)

Fungi, edible - Indigenous (DLG)

Fungi, tree (Dragons dawn)

Garlic (DLG)

Habitat: prefers a sunny position in a moist light well-drained soil Hardy to at least -10°c

Medicinal Uses: Anthelmintic; Antiasthmatic; Anticholesterolemic; Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Cancer; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Stimulant; Stings; Stomachic; Tonic; Vasodilator.

Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefit.
The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratyphoid-enteritis group, indeed it possesses outstanding germicidal properties and can keep amoebic dysentery at bay.
It is also said to have anticancer activity.
It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning.
Daily use of garlic in the diet is shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart
Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds.
The fresh bulb is much more effective medicinally than stored bulbs, extended storage greatly reduces the anti-bacterial action.
The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator

Outside Info: Bulb growing to 0.6m by 0.15m

Edible Uses: Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed.

Bulb - raw or cooked. Widely used, as a flavouring in a wide range of foods, both raw and cooked. Garlic is a wonderfully nutritious and health giving addition to the diet, but it has a very strong flavour and so is mainly used in very small quantities as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. Leaves - raw or cooked. Chopped and used in salads, they are rather milder than the bulbs.
The flowering stems are used as a flavouring.

Other Uses: Adhesive; Fungicide; Repellent.

The juice from the bulb is used as an insect repellent. It has a very strong smell and some people would prefer to be bitten.
The juice can also be applied to any stings in order to ease the pain. 3 - 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated soap can be infused in 1 litre of boiling water, allowed to cool and then used as an insecticide.
An excellent glue can be made from the juice, when this is spread on glass it enables a person to cut clean holes in the glass, The juice is also used as a glue in mending glass and china.
An extract of the plant can be used as a fungicide. It is used in the treatment of blight and mould or fungal diseases of potatoes.
The growing plant is said to repel insects, rabbits and moles.

Farm Notes:

If a few cloves of garlic are spread amongst stored fruit, they will act to delay the fruit from rotting
Grows well with most plants, especially, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes.
This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other.

Ging (Moreta)

The Ging tree is mentioned in Moreta and seems distinct from the Gingko.

Habitat: Tropical to Sub Tropical, possibly prefers shade.

Medicinal Uses: Astringent

Leaf sap will seal puncture wounds

Outside Info: Tree. Thick and spongy fronds, rather shallow rooted. Moreta described the ging forest in the fall as "a green face with a thousand black-rimmed eyes

Edible Uses: Nuts

During the autumn, the tree produces softnuts which can be eaten raw.

Other Uses: Bedding; wrapping

Fronds can be used as improvised forest bedding
The leaves, when cut, will seal into a package

Farm Notes:

Needlethorn is commonly found in the presence of Ging trees.

Ginkgo (DLG)

Habitat: Plains, tolerates frosts

Medicinal Uses: Astringent; Angina; TB; Digestive;

Seed is used as a digestion aid and for their ability to suppress the effects
of consuming wine and to recover from illnesses.
It is also used as a kidney tonic.
It is considered useful in cot medicine as an astringent for the heart, lung, asthma, bronchitis, wheezing, cough, for regulating urinary frequency (bladder/kidney), diarrhea, gonorrhea, toothache, skin diseases, digestive aid, fever and other ailments. The cooked seeds are said to stabilize the production of sperm,
The raw seeds may have anticancer and counter-vinous activity.
The leaves are used to treat respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis, hearing loss,
couching, tuberculosis, poor circulation, memory loss, gonorrhea, stomach pain,
skin diseases, angina pectoris, dysentery, high blood pressure and
anxiety.
The powdered leaf is inhaled for asthma, ear, nose and throat disorders
like bronchitis and chronic rhinitis.
Locally applied, the juice of the boiled leaves is used for chilblains. The leaf is also used as a wound-plaster.

Outside Info: Notched, fan-shaped leaves that turn yellow in fall. The tree can grow to a very large size.

Edible Uses: Seed

The seeds are roasted and eaten, the taste is sweet like a large pine nut, a cross between potatoes and sweet chestnuts when baked
The seeds are usually steamed until the hard shell cracks open, then the kernel can be removed (or can be cracked open) and eaten like pistachio nuts, or used in porridges, soups, vegetable dishes or mixed with rice, tofu, mushrooms and stir-fried vegetables.

Other Uses: wood; Paper; Oil

Light, fine grained, smooth, flexible and has a silky shine, but only produces small lengths. Used for insect-proof cabinets, bowls etc.
The female tree is used to make (sheet) paper
Oil from the seed is used as a lighting-fuel and a soap substitute is produced by mixing the pulp of the seeds with oil or wine

Farm Notes:

Naturally resistant to diseases, insects, air pollution, fire

Glovecap (Skullcap) (DLG, Moreta)

I am unable to locate a plant by the name of Glovecap. However, the physical description comes close, as do the medicinal properties, to the plant ‘Skullcap’ (Scutellaria lateriflora).

Habitat: Succeeds in a sunny position in any ordinary garden soil that does not dry out during the growing season. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c

Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Antibacterial; Anticholesterolemic; Antipyretic; Antispasmodic; Astringent; Cholagogue; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Haemostatic; Laxative; Nervine; Sedative; Stomachic; TB; Tonic.

It is considered to be a fundamental herb (in China) and is used primarily in treating conditions such as dysentery and diarrhoea.
The roots contain flavonoids that greatly enhance liver function and also have anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic effects.
The root is anodyne, antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, astringent, cholagogue, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, haemostatic, laxative, nervine, mildly sedative, stomachic and tonic (for TB).
It reputedly calms the foetus in pregnant women.
The root is used internally in the treatment of enteritis, dysentery, diarrhoea, jaundice, chronic hepatitis, urinary tract infections, hypertension, threatened miscarriage, nosebleed and haemorrhage from the lungs or bowel.
The seed is used to cleanse the bowels of blood and pus.

Outside Info: A flowering grey-green plant. The blue flower is contained within a system of leaves, one of which rises up and over the flower similar to a cap. A second serrated leaf almost touches the 'cap'. The visual effect is to call this plant the Glovecap

Edible Uses: Leaves; Tea.

Young leaves - cooked as a vegetable.
The whole plant is dried and used as a tea substitute

Other Uses: None Known

Farm Notes:

Goru Pear (DLG, P.E.R.N. Survey)

Habitat: Unknown

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info:

Edible Use: Fruit

The fruit is eaten raw or cooked

Other Use: Hedge

The Goru-pear tree on Pern have thorns to protect their fruit; any contact with the tree will cause the thorns to "spray" out, making it ideal (in grubbed areas) as the outer portion of a protective hedge.

Farm Notes: The thorn spraying ability of the tree is deactivated by cold.

Grain (Dragonflight, Dragonquest, DLG, Dragonflight, White Dragon, Master Harper, Renegades, Dolphins of Pern; The Second Weyr)

Grain is a general term relating to a number of different cereal products, some of which I have listed elsewhere in this herbal. The different type of cereals are:

Barley
Buckwheat
Corn (Maize)
Grain Sorghum
Oats
Rice
Rye In The Grain
Wheat

Grapes (DLG, Dragonflight, Red Star Rising, Dragons Dawn, White Dragon, Master Harper)

The following description is a general description of the grape vine.

Habitat: Grows best in a calcareous soil, but dislikes excessively chalky soils

Known locations: Benden, Fort(H), Tillek, Nabol, Lemos, Nerat

Medicinal Uses: Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Astringent; Bach; Demulcent; Diuretic; Hepatic; Laxative; Lithontripic; Skin; Stomachic.

Grapes are a nourishing and slightly laxative fruit that can support the body through illness, especially of the gastro-intestinal tract and liver.
Analgesic.
The fresh fruit is antilithic, constructive, cooling, diuretic and strengthening. A period of time on a diet based entirely on the fruit is especially recommended in the treatment of torpid liver or sluggish biliary function. The fruit is also helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids and capillary fragility.
The dried fruit is demulcent, cooling, mildly expectorant, laxative and stomachic. It has a slight effect in easing coughs.
The leaves, especially red leaves, are anti-inflammatory and astringent. A decoction is used in the treatment of threatened abortion, internal and external bleeding, cholera, dropsy, diarrhoea and nausea. It is also used as a wash for mouth ulcers and as douche for treating vaginal discharge. Red grape leaves are also helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids and capillary fragility. The leaves are harvested in early summer and used fresh or dried.
The seed is anti-inflammatory and astringent.
The sap of young branches is diuretic. It is used as a remedy for skin diseases and is also an excellent lotion for the eyes.
The tendrils are astringent and a decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea

Outside Info: A deciduous climber growing to 15m at a fast rate

Edible Uses: Flowers; Fruit; Leaves; Oil.

Fruit - raw or dried for winter use]. The dried fruits are the raisins, sultanas and currants of commerce, different varieties producing the different types of dried fruit.
A fully ripened fresh fruit is sweet, juicy and delicious.
The fruit juice can be concentrated and used as a sweetener.
This fruit is widely used in making wine.
Leaves - cooked. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and then baked, they impart a pleasant flavour.
Young tendrils - raw or cooked.
The flower clusters are used as a vegetable.
An edible oil similar to sunflower oil is obtained from the seed. It needs to be refined before it can be eaten. A polyunsaturated oil, it is suitable for mayonnaise and cooking, especially frying.
Sap - raw. Used as a drink, it has a sweet taste. The sap can be harvested in spring and early summer, though it should not be taken in quantity or it will weaken the plant.
The roasted seed is a Klah substitute.
Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, a crystalline salt, is extracted from the residue of pressed grapes, and from the sediment of wine barrels. It is used in making baking powder.

Other Uses: Dye; Miscellany.

A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves.
An oil from the seed is used for lighting and as an ingredient in soaps, paints etc.
Cream of tartar, extracted from the residue of pressed grapes, is used in making fluxes for soldering.

Farm Notes:

Especially when growing in hotter countries than Britain, the stems of very old vines attain a good size and have been used to supply a very durable timber
The flowers are intensely fragrant.
Grapes grow well in the company of hyssop, chives, basil

Grasses (Dragonquest, Dragonsong, DLG, Dolphins of Pern, Skies of Pern)

As on Terra, Grasses come in many shapes and sizes. Generally, according to DLG, Terran grass has not maintained itself against the native forms. Most native grasses have a triangular cross section.

Known locations: various forms exist over many parts of Pern

Uses: bedding

Grasses – River Island (Dragon drums)

This is the native variety found in Southern.

Medicinal Uses: Firehead

Tufts contain theraputic.
The heart (just above the root ball) can be dried and ground into a powder that is good for fever

Outside Info: Large stems with tufts.

Edible Uses:  Shoots

The shoots are edible

Other Uses: Raft, Basketry

branches can be bundled and used as a temporary raft
It is also likely that it can be used to form baskets etc

Farm Notes:

The grass is harvested directly from the wild and is not cultivated.

Sweet grass (Dragon Drums)

From its use in conversation I assume that Sweet grass is a general term for Terran Grass, which will have a more beneficial use on livestock compared to their normal consumption of native grasses. It also ties into the description for aromatic grasses.

Habitat:

Medicinal Uses: Anticoagulant; Antispasmodic; Stimulant.

The whole plant, and especially the flowering stems, is anticoagulant, antispasmodic and stimulant. It is normally only applied externally, where it is used in the treatment of rheumatic pain, chilblains, nervous insomnia etc.
It is said that a tincture made from this grass with spirit of wine is an effective and immediate cure for hay fever.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.45m by 0.3m

Edible Uses: Seed; Tea.

Seed. The seed is very small and its use would be fiddly.
A tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves. A sweet pleasant fragrance

Other Uses: Basketry; Pot-pourri; Strewing.

The aromatic leaves and dried flowers are used as a strewing herb, they are also woven into baskets and used in pot-pourri.
The plant contains coumarin - this is used medicinally and also in rat poisons where it prevents the blood from co-aggulating and thus means that the slightest cut can kill the rat.

Farm Notes: Dislikes shade

Green fruits (see citrus)

Dragonlovers lists a green citrus fruit. This could be the apple (qv) or pear (qv) but in this instance I chose the Lime, based on the locations mentioned (Southern, Cove Hold and Ista).

Habitat: Tropical

Medicinal Uses: Cold; astringent; Tonic; vermifuge; antiseptic; antiscorbutic; diuretic; febrifuge

A full lime is squeezed into hot water to create a very strong and tart tea that treats coughing associated with a cold
Lime juice dispels the irritation and swelling of insect bites.
The juice is taken as a tonic and to relieve stomach ailments.
Mixed with oil, it is given as a vermifuge.
The pickled fruit, with other substances, is poulticed on the head to allay neuralgia and is eaten to relieve indigestion. The juice of the Mexican lime is regarded as an antiseptic, tonic, an antiscorbutic, an astringent, and as a diuretic in liver ailments, a digestive stimulant, a remedy for intestinal hemorrhage and hemorrhoids, heart palpitations, headache, convulsive cough, rheumatism, arthritis, falling hair, bad breath, and as a disinfectant for all kinds of ulcers when applied in a poultice.
The leaves or an infusion of the crushed leaves may be applied to relieve headache.
The leaf decoction is used as eye drops and to bathe a feverish patient; also as a mouth wash and gargle in cases of sore throat and thrush.
The root bark serves as a febrifuge, as does the seed kernel, ground and mixed with lime juice.
The young leaves are used for coughing. You have to boil the leaves and drink the boiling water.
Any cut not caused by a knife can be treated with undiluted juice. This will hurt, but the wound will heal more rapidly.

Outside Info: The white flowers are followed by the fruits, which resemble lemons but are more round in shape. range from 6 1/2 to 13 ft (2-4 m) high, with many slender, spreading branches, and usually has numerous, very sharp, axillary spines to 3/8 in (1 cm) long. The evergreen, alternate leaves are pleasantly aromatic, densely set; elliptic- or oblong-ovate, rounded at the base, 2 to 3 in (5-7.5 cm) long, leathery; light purplish when young, dull dark-green above

Edible Uses: Fruit; Juice

Juice and fruit skin (pericarp). The fruits are almost always picked when unripe (green), and are usually consumed before they reach the ripe state (yellow).
Fishermen and others who spend days in sailboats, always have with them their bottles of homemade "old sour"–lime juice and salt.
The lime is grown mainly to flavour prepared foods and beverages.
Lime juice is made into syrup and sauce and pies similar to lemon pie.
Limes are often made into jam, jelly and marmalade.
The chopped peel is made into a sweetmeat with milk and coconut.

Other Uses: Cleanser; Juice; cosmetic; Fodder

The powdered dried peel and the sludge remaining after clarifying lime juice are employed for cleaning metal
The juice is used in the process of dyeing leather.
Bottled Lime Moisture Lotion is a skin-conditioner.
The dehydrated peel is fed to cattle..
Lime twigs are popular chewsticks.

Farm Notes:

the fruits can be held fresh for 2 or 3 weeks if kept in water in a closed jar

Greens (DLG, Dragonsong)

Habitat: near Half-Circle seahold, Nabol

Uses: used like salad, served with dressing. The Greens used by Menolly are actually water cresses (qv)

Gooseberry (DLG)

Habitat: Plants dislike very hot weather. Dormant plants are hardy to about -20°c

Medicinal Uses: Astringent; Laxative; Miscellany.

The fruit is laxative Stewed unripe gooseberries are used as a spring tonic to cleanse the system.
The leaves have been used in the treatment of gravel. An infusion taken before the monthly periods is said to be a useful tonic for growing girls.
The leaves contain tannin and have been used as an astringent to treat dysentery and wounds.

Outside Info: A deciduous shrub growing to 1.2m by 1m

Edible Uses: Fruit; Leaves.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is often picked when under-ripe and very firm, it has a very tart flavour at this time and is mainly used in making pies, jams etc. However, if the fruit is allowed to remain on the plant until it is fully ripe and soft it becomes quite sweet and is delicious for eating out of hand.
Leaves- raw. The young and tender leaves can be eaten in salads. Some caution is advised as can be toxic.

Other Uses: Cosmetic.

The fruit pulp is used cosmetically in face-masks for its cleansing effect on greasy skins

Farm Notes:

Plants should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees

Grass reeds

Menolly constructs pipes out of the reeds – but these could easily be a variety of the swamp grass already mentioned.

Hardwoods (DLG, Dragonquest)

The ‘Hardwoods’ in Lemos and Igen refer not to a species but rather the type of tree. A Hardwood would, in this case, be an Oak (qv) or birch (qv) (or an orchard tree – though not in this case). Conifers are Softwoods and the Native trees are undefined, though I think of them as Softwoods as they bear more resemblance to those.

Hazelnut tree (DLG)

Habitat: Benden Hold The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure

Medicinal Uses: Astringent; Poultice.

A tea made from the bark is astringent. It was used in the treatment of hives and fevers.
A poultice made from the bark is used to close cuts and wounds, treat tumours, old sores etc.

Outside Info: A large shrub that grows to 10m. Has male catkins in spring and clusters of nuts in fall

Edible Uses: Oil; Seed.

Seed - raw or cooked in soups, bread, biscuits, sweets etc.
The nuts have a thick shell with a small sweet kernel, they make an excellent dessert. Nuts at the 'milk' or ‘cob’ stage (before they are fully ripe) are softer and sweeter[183]. The seed is rich in oil. The seed ripens in mid to late autumn and will probably need to be protected from squirrels. When kept in a cool place, and not shelled, the seed should store for at least 12 months.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed,

Other Uses: Hedge.

The plant makes a good screening hedge

Farm Notes:

Hemp (Renegades)

Habitat: Nabol, Southern

Medicinal Uses: Cardiotonic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emetic; Expectorant; Tonic; VD; Vermifuge; Warts.

It is used to treat a wide variety of complaints including rheumatism, coughs, pox, whooping cough, asthma, internal parasites, diarrhoea and also to increase milk flow in lactating mothers.
The plant should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner if taken internally
The root is cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic and expectorant. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.
The fresh root is the most active part medicinally. It is used in the treatment of syphilis and as a tonic.
A weak tea made from the dried root is used for cardiac diseases.
A tea made from the root is used as a vermifuge. The milky sap is a cot remedy for venereal warts

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.6m by 1m

Edible Uses: Gum; Seed.

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used as a meal.
A latex obtained from the plant is used as a chewing gum. After the latex is squeezed from the plant it s allowed to stand overnight to harden into a white gum. The latex is sometimes mixed with clean clay.

Other Uses: Fibre; Latex.

A very good quality fibre obtained from the bark is used for making clothes, twine, bags, linen, paper etc. It is about 12 - 18mm long. Very strong, used as a flax substitute, it does not shrink and it retains its strength in water.
The plant yields a latex which is a possible source of rubber. The latex is also used as a chewing gum.

Farm Notes:

Hissop, Hyssop (DLG, Moreta, Nerilka)

Habitat: near Fort Hold A very cold-hardy plant, when dormant it can tolerate temperatures down to about -25°c

Medicinal Uses: Antiseptic; Aromatherapy; Astringent; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Pectoral; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic; Vasodilator.

Hyssop has a long history of medicinal use and was so highly esteemed in the past that it was considered to be a virtual cure-all.
Used s an expectorant and stomach tonic.
It has a positive effect when used to treat bronchitis and respiratory infections, especially where there is excessive mucous production. Hyssop can irritate the mucous membranes, so it is best given after an infection has peaked, when the herb's tonic action encourages a general recovery.
The plant should not be used by pregnant women, however, since in large quantities it can induce a miscarriage.
The leaves and flowering tops are antiseptic, antitussive, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, pectoral, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vasodilator. The plant can be harvested when in full flower and dried for later use.
A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of flatulence, stomach-aches, upper respiratory tract infections, coughs in children etc.
A poultice made from the fresh herb is used to heal wounds

Outside Info: An evergreen shrub growing to 0.6m by 0.6m Semi-evergreen shrub with aromatic leaves and spikes of blue two-tipped late summer flowers

Edible Uses: Condiment; Flowers; Leaves.

Leaves and young shoot tips - raw or used as a flavouring in soups, salads etc. A strongly aromatic flavour, somewhat like a cross between sage and mint, it has fallen out of favour in recent years. It can be used fresh or dried.
Flowers - raw. Added to salads.
An essential oil from the plant is used as a food flavouring

Other Uses: Essential; Fungicide; Ground cover; Hedge; Pot-pourri; Repellent; Strewing.

Hyssop can be grown as a dwarf hedge
An essential oil from the leaves is antiseptic and also used in perfumery and as a food flavouring.
It has a particularly fine odour and is much valued by perfumers.
The plant is used as a strewing herb and is also used in pot-pourri.
A tea made from the leaves is useful for controlling bacterial plant diseases.
Plants can be grown for ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way.

Farm Notes:

The flowers have a rich aromatic fragrance

Honeywood (DLG)

My only reference is that the Masterharpers chair was made out of this at Covehold. Honeywood is a cultivar of the Saskatoon Tree.

Habitat: It is found in moist areas in the understory, along streams, and in open woodlands

Medicinal Uses: Appetizer; Birthing aid; Contraceptive; Diaphoretic; Febrifuge; Laxative; Ophthalmic; Stomachic.

Saskatoon is used to treat a wide range of minor complaints. An infusion of the inner bark is used as a treatment for snow-blindness.
A decoction of the fruit juice is mildly laxative. It is used in the treatment of upset stomachs, to restore the appetite in children, it is also applied externally as ear and eye drops.
A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of colds. It has also been used as a treatment for too frequent menstruation.
A decoction of the stems, is diaphoretic. It is used to induce sweating in the treatment of fevers, flu etc and also in the treatment of chest pains and lung infections.
A decoction of the plant, together with bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata) is used as a contraceptive. Other recipes involving this plant have also been used as contraceptives including a decoction of the ashes of the plant combined with the ashes of pine branches or buds.
A strong decoction of the bark was taken immediately after childbirth to hasten the dropping of the placenta. It was said to help clean out and help heal the woman's insides and also to stop her menstrual periods after the birth, thus acting as a form of birth control

Outside Info: It has a narrow, almost vase-shaped or fan-shaped crown of ascending to mostly arching branches and large dark purple fruit with an excellent pleasant flavour.

Edible Uses: Fruit; Tea.

Edible fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit ripens in mid summer, it is soft and juicy with a few small seeds in the centre. A very nice sweet flavour that is enjoyed by almost everyone who tries it, there is a hint of apple in the taste.
About the size of a blackcurrant, the fruit is produced in small clusters and the best wild forms can be 15mm in diameter
The fruit can also be dried and used as raisins or made into pemmican. The fruit is rich in iron and copper.
The leaves are a tea substitute

Other uses: Shelterbelt; Soil stabilization.

Plants have a spreading, suckering root system and are used in windbreaks for erosion control.
Young branches can be twisted to make a rope.
Wood - hard, straight grained, tough. Used for tool handles etc. The wood can be made even harder by heating it over a fire and it is easily moulded whilst still hot. The young stems are used to make rims, handles and as a stiffening in basket making

Farm Notes:

Hops (DLG)

Habitat: Hops tolerate annual temperature in the range of 5.6 to 21.3°C

Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Antibacterial; Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Galactogogue; Hypnotic; Nervine; Sedative; Stomachic; Tonic.

Hops are employed mainly for their soothing, sedative, tonic and calming effect on the body and the mind. Their strongly bitter flavour largely accounts for their ability to strengthen and stimulate the digestion, increasing gastric and other secretions.
The female fruiting body is anodyne, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, febrifuge, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, stomachic and tonic.
Hops are widely used as a cot remedy to treat a wide range of complaints, including boils, bruises, calculus, cancer, cramps, cough, cystitis, debility, delirium, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, fever, fits, hysteria, inflammation, insomnia, jaundice, nerves, neuralgia, rheumatism, and worms.
The hairs on the fruits contain a sedative and hypnotic drug. When given to nursing mothers, it increases the flow of milk.
The decoction from the flower is said to remedy swellings and hardness of the uterus.
Hop flowers are much used as an infusion or can also be used to stuff pillows where the weight of the head will release the volatile oils.
The fruit is also applied externally as a poultice to ulcers, boils, painful swellings etc, it is said to remedy painful tumours. The female flowering heads are harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried.
Alcoholic extracts of hops in various dosage forms have been used clinically in treating numerous forms of leprosy, pulmonary tuberculosis, and acute bacterial dysentery.
The female fruiting body contains humulone and lupulone, these are highly bacteriostatic against gram-positive and acid-fast bacteria.
A cataplasm of the leaf is said to remedy cold tumours

Outside Info: Perennial Climber growing to 6m at a medium rate

Edible Uses: Drink; Leaves; Root; Rutin; Tea.

Young leaves and young shoots - cooked.
The flavour is unique and, to many tastes, delicious.
Young leaves can be eaten in salads. Use before the end of May
The fleshy rhizomes are sometimes eaten.
A tea is made from the leaves and cones. It has a gentle calming effect.
The dried flowering heads of female plants are used as a flavouring and preservative in beer. They are also medicinal. The flowering heads are sprinkled with bitter-tasting yellow translucent glands, which appear as a granular substance. This substance prevents gram-negative bacteria from growing in the beer or wort. Much of the hop's use as a flavouring and medicinal plant depends on the abundance of this powdery substance.
The essential oil in the flowering heads is used as a flavouring in cereal beverages and mineral waters.
Extracts from the plant, and the oil, are used as flavouring in non-alcoholic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods and puddings

Other Uses: Dye; Essential; Fibre; Paper.

A fine brown dye is obtained from the leaves and flower heads.
An essential oil from the female fruiting heads is used in perfumery
Extracts of the plant are used in Europe in skin creams and lotions for their alleged skin-softening properties.
A fibre is obtained from the stems which is similar to hemp but not as strong and is used to make a coarse cloth.
A paper can be made from the fibre, the stems are harvested in the autumn, the leaves removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be removed. The fibre is cooked for 2 hours with lye and then hand pounded with mallets or ball milled for 2½ hours. The paper is brown in colour.

Farm Notes:

Ilex (Holly) (Moreta)

Habitat: Can tolerate Maritime exposure. Succeeds in most soils

Medicinal Uses: Astringent; Bach; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emetic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Purgative.

The leaves are diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge and tonic. Used fresh at almost any time of the year or harvested in late spring and dried for later use, they are used in the treatment of intermittent fevers, rheumatism, catarrh, pleurisy etc.
The juice of the fresh leaves is used in the treatment of jaundice.
The berries are violently emetic and purgative and are used in the treatment of dropsy and as a powder they have been used as an astringent to check bleeding.
The berries are toxic, especially to children, and should not be used medicinally except under professional supervision.
The root is used as a diuretic.

Outside Info: An evergreen shrub growing to 9m by 5m with green, spikey glossy leaves, with red berries in season.

Edible Uses: Tea.

The leaves have been used as a tea substitute.
The roasted fruit is used as a Klah substitute.
Some caution is advised here, since the fruit can be purgative and emetic.

Other Uses: Fuel; Ground cover; Hedge; Wood.

An excellent hedge plant, tolerating hard clipping and maritime exposure and forming a dense stock-proof shelter.
Wood - strong, hard and dense, it polishes well, though it must be well dried and seasoned or else it warps badly

Farm Notes:

Itch-leaf (DLG)

Known locations: Fort Hold

Itch-leaf is an ‘obnoxious weed’, rooted out where it can be.

It has no known uses and no description. It is likely to be a native plant.

Kale (1) (collards)

Habitat: Succeeds in maritime gardens tolerating temperatures down to about -15°c and also high summer temperatures.

Medicinal Uses: None Known

Outside Info: Biennial/Perennial growing to 0.9m

Edible Uses: Flowers; Leaves; Stem.

Leaves - raw or cooked.
A strong cabbage flavour, they are delicious if used when fairly young. The leaves are available from autumn to late spring, and can be harvested all through the winter in all but the very coldest of seasons.
Young flowering shoots - raw or cooked. Picked before the flowers open, they are fairly tender and can be used as part of a mixed salad. When cooked, they have a delicious flavour similar to sprouting broccoli.

Other Uses: None Known

Farm Notes:

Kiwi (DLG)

Locations: Boll, Igen

Habitat: Full sun is best for fruit production. Usually Sub Tropical but can (dormant) tolerate temperatures down to -15°c

Medicinal Uses: Diuretic; Febrifuge; Sedative.

The fruits, stems and roots are diuretic, febrifuge and sedative. They are used in the treatment of stones in the urinary tract, rheumatoid arthralgia, cancers of the liver and oesophagus.
A decoction of the leaves is used to treat mange in dogs. The stem-juice is used in the treatment of gravel.

Outside Info: This is a climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around branches etc.

Edible Uses: Fruit; Leaves.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A delicious flavour. The fruit is up to 3cm across
The leaves are eaten cooked in times of need as a famine food

Other Uses: Insecticide; Paper; Pencil.

Paper is made from the bark.
If the bark is removed in one piece from near the root and placed in hot ashes, it becomes very hard and can be used as a tube for a pencil.
The plant has insecticidal properties.

Klahbark Tree (DLG, Dragonsong, the P.E.R.N. Survey, Runner of Pern)

Known Locations: Across Pern, near Half-Circle seahold, Benden Hold, Southern

Medicinal uses: Unknown but may be a stimulant

Outside Info: A tree. Unknown

Edible Uses: Drink; Condiment

Inner Bark is brewed to produce a like-like substance, tastes like a cross between Klah and chocolate, with a spicy aftertaste.
The bark is also used as a spice in cooking.

Other Uses: Wood

Although no reference to it is made, it is likely that the Klahbark tree can be used for wood.

Farm Notes: There is an implied preference for young trees to make Klah.

Kohlrabi (1)

Habitat: Can tolerate drought and tolerates maritime exposure. Very winter hardy and withstands severe frosts

Medicinal Uses: Digestive; Tonic.

The leaf is digestive and tonic.

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 0.45m at a fast rate.

Edible Uses: Leaves; Stem.

Leaves - cooked. Used as a vegetable, though the quality is not as good as cabbage. The young leaves can also be added to salads, though some people find them difficult to digest.
Stem - raw or cooked. The plant produces a swollen stem just above ground level, and this is often used as a root vegetable. It has a mild cabbage flavour, when finely grated it makes a good addition to mixed salads and, when cooked, is an excellent vegetable. It is best eaten whilst fairly small and tender

Other Uses: None Known

Farm Notes:

Available all year from successive sowings
Grows well with onions, beet and aromatic herbs
Grows badly with strawberries, runner beans

Land Cresses – 1

Habitat

Medicinal Uses: None Known

Outside Info: Biennial growing to 0.3m by 0.25m

Edible Uses: Leaves; Oil; Seed.

Young leaves - raw, cooked or used as a seasoning. A hot, spicy watercress flavour, they are delicious in salads. Leaves can be obtained throughout the year if autumn-sown plants are given a light protection in winter.
An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
The seed can be sprouted and added to salads etc

Other Uses:

Farm Notes:

Land cress is often cultivated as a salad plant

Lavender (DLG, Dragonsdawn)

Habitat: Nabol - The plant can tolerate maritime exposure. Prefers a sunny position hardy to between -10 and -15°c

Medicinal Uses: Antihalitosis; Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Aromatic; Carminative; Cholagogue; Diuretic; Nervine; Sedative; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic.

· Lavender is a commonly used herb, though it is better known for its sweet-scented aroma than for its medicinal qualities. However, it is an important relaxing herb, having a soothing and relaxing affect upon the nervous system.

· The flowering spikes can be dried and used internally in a tincture, though the extracted essential oil is more commonly used. The essential oil is much more gentle in its action than most other essential oils and can be safely applied direct to the skin as an antiseptic to help heal wounds, burns etc.

· An essential oil obtained from the flowers is antihalitosis, powerfully antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomachic and tonic.

· It is not often used internally, though it is a useful carminative and nervine.

· It is mainly used externally where it is an excellent restorative and tonic - when rubbed into the temples, for example, it can cure a nervous headache, and it is a delightful addition to the bath-water.

· Its powerful antiseptic properties are able to kill many of the common bacteria such as typhoid, diphtheria, streptococcus and Pneumococcus, as well as being a powerful antidote to some snake venoms is used as an antiseptic wash for wounds, ulcers, sores etc and as a relaxing oil for massage

· It is very useful in the treatment of burns, sunburn, scalds,

· bites, vaginal discharge, anal fissure etc, where it also soothes the affected part of the body and can prevent the formation of permanent scar tissue.

· The oil, applied under the eyes and nose can help mitigate the worst effects of hayfever sufferers.

· Lavender can promote bleeding in women and should be carefully applied.

Outside Info: An evergreen shrub growing to 1.2m by 1m
Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

· Leaves, petals and flowering tips - raw. Used as a condiment in salads, soups,

· stews etc. They provide a very aromatic flavour and are too strong to be used in any quantity.

· The fresh or dried flowers are used as a tea. The fresh flowers are also crystallized or added to jams, ice-creams, vinegars etc as a flavouring.

· An essential oil from the flowers is used as a food flavouring

Other Uses: Essential; Hedge; Incense; Pot-pourri; Repellent.

· The essential oil that is obtained from the flowers is exquisitely scented and has a very wide range of applications, both in the home and commercially. It is commonly used in soap making, in making high quality perfumes and is used as a detergent and cleaning agent, a food flavouring etc and as an insect repellent. When growing the plant for its essential oil content, it is best to harvest the

· flowering stems as soon as the flowers have faded.

· The aromatic leaves and flowers are used in pot-pourri and as an insect repellent in the linen cupboard etc.

· They have been used in the past as a strewing herb in order to impart a sweet smell to rooms and to deter insects. The leaves are also added to bath water for their fragrance and therapeutic properties. The flowering stems, once the flowers have been removed for use in pot-pourri etc, can be tied in small bundles and burnt as incense sticks.

· Lavender can be grown as a low hedge, responding well to trimming.

Farm Notes

Lavender makes a good companion for most plants, growing especially well with cabbages.

Legumes (DLG, Dragonflight, The Second Weyr)

Legumes are a family of plants. Several other plants on this list are members of this family. The Legume family is so large that I have only included those plants either inferred (such as Lentils) or generally found of real use to the farmer, such as clovers, nuts, beans and peas.

Lemongrass (DLG)

Habitat:

Medicinal uses: Oil; antibacterial; expectorant

· Lemongrass is drunk before bed to induce sleep.

The infusion is also used to loosen and lessen mucous, to treat fevers, cramps, and stress.
The essential oil has antibacterial properties.
Leaf tea treats diarrhea, stomach-ache, headache, fevers, flu, and is antiseptic

Outside Info: The plant grows in dense clumps up to 2 meters in diameter and has leaves up to 1 meter long. The stem and leaf have a distinct lemon flavour

Edible Uses: Condiment

The herb is used to flavour other dishes

Other Uses: Oil

The oil is used in cosmetics and flavourings
The volatile oils may also have some pesticide

Farm Notes:

Lentils (DLG)

Habitat: It cannot grow in the shade widely cultivated in warm temperate and tropical zones

Medicinal Uses: Laxative; Poultice.

The seeds are mucilaginous and laxative.
They are considered to be useful in the treatment of constipation and other intestinal affections.
Made into a paste, they are a useful cleansing application in foul and indolent ulcers.

Outside Info: Annual growing to 0.45m

Edible Uses: Seed; Seedpod.

Seed - cooked or sprouted and eaten raw. A very nutritious food, the seeds can be cooked on their own or added to soups, stews etc.
The seed can be soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then allowed to sprout for about 5 days. They have a crunchy, fresh flavour. Lentils are more digestible than many legumes.
The dried seed can also be ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread etc, this greatly enhances the value of the protein in the bread. The seed stores better if it is left in its husk.
Young seedpods - used fresh or cooked like green beans

Other Uses: None known

Farm Notes:

Litmus (Dragonquest)

Habitat: A rock loving lichen

Medicinal Uses: Antiseptic Demulcent and emollient

It is said to be a decided antiseptic, and to cause death in toxic doses by paralysing the heart-muscle.
A decoction is useful in coughs and catarrhs as a Demulcent and emollient

Outside Info: a small, dry lichen, with a rounded, glaucous, nearly erect thallus, forked and subdivided into numerous branchy, roundish, grey, yellowish, or brownish threads;

Edible Uses:

Other Uses: Litmus; pigment

Litmus was harvested by the smith craft hall during the 9^th pass for its ability to hold a message written on it by Craftmaster Fandarels distance writing machine. It is made "by macerating powdered lichen for several weeks, with occasional agitation, in a mixture of urine, lime, and potashes, in a wooden trough under shelter. A kind of fermentation takes place, and the lichen becomes first reddish, and subsequently blue. When the pulp has acquired a proper blue colour, it is placed in brass or steel molds, and the cakes thus obtained are subsequently dried. An addition of aqueous ammonia answers the same purpose as that of urine in the above mixture
Blue and Red Orchil or Archil are used for dyeing, colouring and staining. The red is prepared by steeping the lichen in earthen jars and heating them by steam. The blue is similarly treated in a covered wooden vessel. They are used as a thickish liquid for testing purposes.
Cudbear, prepared in a similar way, is also used as a dye. It is dried and pulverized, and becomes a purplish-red in colour.

Farm Notes:

Lovage (DLG)

Habitat: prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position, though it tolerates some shade

Medicinal Uses: Antispasmodic; Aromatic; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Digestive; Diuretic;

Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Skin; Stimulant; Stomachic.

Lovage is a warming and tonic herb for the digestive and respiratory systems. It is used primarily in the treatment of indigestion, poor appetite, wind, colic and bronchitis.
The roots, leaves and fruits are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, mildly expectorant and stimulant. They are used internally in the treatment of disordered stomachs, especially cases of colic and flatulence in children, kidney stones, cystitis, painful menstruation and slow labour.
Externally, the root is used in the treatment of sore throats and aphthous ulcers.
The roots of plants 3 years old can be harvested in early spring or in the autumn and are used fresh or dried.
The leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower and either distilled for their oil or dried for later use.
The leaves, either eaten in salads or dried and infused as a tea, have been used as an emmenagogue.
The essential oil from the seeds is used to remove freckles and spots from the face

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 1.8m by 1m with greenish yellow flowers bloom mid to late summer.

Edible Uses: Condiment; Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed; Stem; Tea.

Leaves and stems - raw or cooked. Used as a savoury flavouring in salads, soups, stews etc, imparting a yeasty/celery flavour.
The leaves can be used fresh or dried and are available from late winter until late autumn.
The young stem can be blanched and used like celery in salads or as a savoury flavouring in cooked foods.
Seed - raw or cooked. A strong yeasty flavour, it is used as a flavouring in cakes, soups, salads etc. It can be used whole or ground into a powder.
Root - cooked. A strong savoury taste, it can be used as a flavouring or cooked as a vegetable. It is best grated when 2 - 3 years old. Flowers are edible.
A tea is made from the dried leaves. A strong savoury flavour, it tastes more like a broth. A tea can also be made from the grated roots.
An essential oil from the root is used commercially as a food flavouring.

Other Uses: None known

Farm Notes:

To ensure a good supply of the leaves in the summer, it is best to cut the plants down to the ground when flowering in the summer.
Lovage is a good companion plant, improving the health and flavour of other plants growing nearby

Lur-weed (Master Harper)

Habitat: Northern Pern; Tillek

Medicinal Use: Toxic

Lur-weed will send runner beasts (and therefore most likely other beasts) into convulsions and is therefore toxic.

Outside Info: weed

Edible Uses: Unknown

Other Uses: Unknown

Farm Notes: Rooted out where-ever found

Mandamo trees (DLG, Dragon Drums, Renegades)

Habitat: Tropical (Southern Hold)

Medicinal Uses: Unknown

Outside Info: Large trunk

Edible Uses: Unknown but unlikely

Other Uses: Wood

A segment of the hollow trunk is used as a message drum.

Mango (DLG)

Habitat: Boll

Medicinal Uses: Astringents,

Astringents and remedies for bronchitis, internal hemorrhage, and toothache are made from twigs and leaves.
Leaf ash is used for burns.

Outside Info: Fast growing tree, grows up to 30m. 1-2 crops a year of large, musk-scented fruit.

Edible Uses: Fruit

Fruit can be eaten raw, candied, or pickled. Unripe fruit

Other Uses: Paint?

A secret recipe for artist's paint used the urine of cows fed on mango leaves

Farm Notes:

Marjoram (Dragons Dawn)

Habitat: Prefers a warm climate

Medicinal Uses: Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Carminative; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic.

Sweet marjoram is mainly used as a culinary herb, but is also medicinally valuable due to its stimulant and antispasmodic properties.
It is a good general tonic, treating various disorders of the digestive and respiratory systems.
Because it can promote menstruation, it should not be used medicinally by pregnant women though small quantities used for culinary purposes are safe.
The herb is antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and mildly tonic.
It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchial complaints, tension headaches, insomnia, anxiety, minor digestive upsets and painful menstruation.
Externally, it is used to treat muscular pain, bronchial complaints, arthritis, sprains and stiff joints.
The plant is harvested as flowering begins and can be used fresh or dried.
Marjoram is often used medicinally in the form of the essential oil, as an external application for sprains, bruises etc.

Outside Info: Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.6m

Edible Uses: Condiment; Leaves; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked. Sweet marjoram is widely used as a flavouring for salad dressings, vegetables, legumes and oils It is best when used fresh and only added towards the end of cooking.
The aromatic seeds are used as a flavouring in sweets, drinks etc.
A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves. The flavour resembles a blend of thyme, rosemary and sage.

Other Uses: Disinfectant; Dye; Essential.

The leaves and flowers essential oil by steam distillation. Called 'Oil of Sweet Marjoram', it is used as a food flavouring and in perfumery, soaps, hair products etc
The plant is often used to disinfect baskets

Farm Notes:

A good companion plant, improving the flavour of nearby plants

Marsh berries (Dragonsong)

See also the section on Black marsh berries and blackberries.

General habitat: low marsh valleys near Half Circle Seahold

Outside Info: yellow flowers

Edible uses: Fruit

The fruit can be eaten raw or possibly cooked

Other uses: Firewood

The desiccated bushes burn well

Meadowsweet (DLG)

Habitat: Does well in marshy soils

Medicinal Uses: Alterative; Antiinflammatory; Antiseptic; Aromatic; Astringent; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Homeopathy; Stomachic; Tonic.

The leaves and flowering stems are alterative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, stomachic and tonic.
The plant is harvested in July when it is in flower and can be dried for later use.
The flower head contains salicylic