Subject: Re: Herb Names

From: Maggie Houston <[email-masked]>
Date: 11 Sep 1995 12:20:04 GMT

Your problem is all folklorists' problem.  The only valid name is the latin name.  
No plants with different names are not the same and can not be used in the 
same way or at all.  For help try John Lust's  " The Herb Book " as one 
starting place.  Peterson Field Guides has a book by Steven Foster and 
James Duke that has good pictures to help.  But the confusion that you are 
mired in is the biggest stumbling block that beginning herbalists encounter.  
Take your time.  And keep it simple. (The art of simpling is using one herb at a 
time).  Susun Weed said in conference once "You don't have to know every 
herb.  Learn about seven and then know where to look the rest up."  I 
personally have purchased as many as $1500.00 (US) in a year.  Also their 
are lots of herbal gatherings and associations .  The Herb Campion magazine 
has lists.  Best Wishes and Good Health, Maggie

---

From: [email-masked] (Callie)
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 95 17:30:42 GMT

"Cheryl E." <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>Hi, I'm having a real problem understanding herb names, for example.
>
>Cinnamon is being referred to as Cinnamomum zeylanicum; and Cinnamomum 
>Cassia; Cinnamomum Camphora.  Are these all the same thing, and will it 
>make any difference in how to use them, how much to use, etc.?

Cinnamomun camphora is camphor ... the others are the spice, by two of the 
species names.  "Cinnamon" is taken from several species of related
trees, but there's no mistaking camphor.

>Furthermore, this is not the only herb that I am having difficulty with.  
>Sometimes common names are the same, but the latin name is different; 
>sometimes the family names are recorded as being different, but both the 
>latin and common names are the same; the latin name is partially the same 
>and partially different, such as cinnamom above; etc.

  The problem is that that dang botanists are always renaming and 
reclassifying things!  Your best bet is a good plant encyclopedia that
gives the most recent as well as the previous names of the plants.
  Don't rely on the common names, unless it is also identified as to the 
region.  We have a local vine "cat's claw", that is not at all related to 
the "cat's claw" of several other regions.

Callie

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