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Botanical Name: Dalea candida oligophylla
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Genus: Dalea
Species:D. candida

Synonyms: Petalostemon oligophyllum

Common Name: White Prairie Clover

Habitat: Dalea candida oligophylla is native to Central N. America – southwards from Canada.It grows on dry desert and alluvial soils to 2000 metres. Prairies and open wods on sandy, clayey and rocky soils.

Description:
Dalea candida oligophylla is a perennial herb growing erect to a maximum height around 1 meter (3 ft 3 in), its taproot growing up to 5 or 6 feet (1.5 or 1.8 m) deep. The alternately arranged leaves are each composed of several narrow, gland-dotted, light green leaflets. The inflorescence is a dense cylindrical spike of flowers at the tip of each stem or stem branch. The spike is packed with the pointed green calyces of sepals, the lower ones bearing corollas of white petals and the higher ones blooming later. The fruit is a green oval legume pod containing one seed.

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Cultivation:
Requires a well-drained soil in full sun. A deep-rooted plant, it prefers a sandy loam with added leaf mould. This species is well-suited to informal and naturalistic plantings, especially as part of a collection of native species. We are not sure how hardy this plant is in Britain, but judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. Plants are monocarpic, living for a number of years without flowering and then dying after flowering. The stems, leaves and flowers are dotted with glands, making the plant look blistered. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagation:
Through seed – pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and sow in early spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer

Edible Uses:
Roots are edible -eaten raw or chewed for its pleasant sweet flavour. The root can be dried, ground into a powder and stored for later use. Leaves – cooked. The peeled stems have been used as a food. A tea-like beverage is made from the dried leaves.

Medicinal Uses:
The plant is a strong emetic. A poultice of the plant has been used to treat wounds.Among the Ramah Navajo, the candida variety is used for stomachache and as a “life medicine”, especially for fever. A compound decoction is used to treat “snake infection” in sheep.

Other Uses:
An infusion of the roots has been used as a hair wash to prevent the hair from falling out. The plant has been used for making light brooms.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalea_candida_var._oligophylla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalea_candida
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dalea+candida+oligophylla

Botanical Name: Consolida regalis
Family: Ranunculaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ranunculales
Genus: Consolida
Species: C. regalis

Synonyms:
*Delphinium consolida L.
*Consolida arvensis Opiz
*Consolida regalis subsp.
*Consolida segetum Schur
*Delphidium consolida (L.) Raf.
*Delphinium consolida L.
*Delphinium consolida subsp.
*Delphinium diffusum Stokes
*Delphinium divaricatum Dulac
*Delphinium segetum Lam.
*Delphinium versicolor Salisb

Common Names: Forking larkspur, Rocket-larkspur, Field larkspur, Larkspur and Royal knight’s-spur

Habitat: Consolida regalis is native to S. Europe. A rare casual in Britain.It grows in the cornfields and waste places, usually on sandy or chalky soils, avoiding shade in Britain.

Description:
Consolida regalis is an annual/biennial herb,L growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). The stem is erect, hairy and very branched at the top. The roots grow into the soil up to a depth of 50 centimetres (20 in), so the plant can survive long periods of drought. The leaves are alternately arranged. The inflorescence is a cluster with five to eight hermaphrodite flowers. The flowers are dark blue or purple with five sepals. The upper sepal is prolonged in a spur of 15–18 millimetres (0.59–0.71 in) long, pointing toward the back. There are eight to ten stamens. The flowering period extends from May through August.

It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.

The flowers are pollinated by hymenoptera and lepidoptera. The seeds ripen from June through September. All plant parts are poisonous in large doses, especially the seeds, that contain up to 1.4% of alkaloids.

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Cultivation:
An easily grown plant, it prefers a sunny position in a well-drained soil. Plants succeeded when growing in a dry shady position in the hot dry summer of 1989. A very ornamental plant. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes. Other reports say that it is a good companion for wheat. A good bee plant. Plants resent root disturbance and should not be transplanted.

Propagation:
Through Seeds- best sown as soon as it is ripe in situ. It can also be autumn sown in areas with mild winters, otherwise sow in succession from spring to early summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 – 3 weeks.

Edible Uses: Not known.

Medicinal Uses:
Larkspur was at one time used internally in the treatment of a range of diseases, but its only certain action is a violent purgative and nowadays it is only occasionally used in folk medicine. It is of value, however, when used externally, to kill skin parasites. The plant should be used with caution, see the notes above on toxicity. The seed is anthelmintic, mildly diuretic, hypnotic, purgative and vasodilator. It has been used internally in the treatment of spasmodic asthma and dropsy. The flowers or the whole plant are mildly diuretic and hypotensive. The expressed juice of the leaves has been considered an effective application to bleeding piles. A conserve made from the flowers has been seen as a good remedy for children when subject to violent purging. The juice of the flowers has also been used as a treatment for colic.

Other Uses:
A strong tincture of the fresh seed is used externally to kill lice and nits in the head and pubic hair. It is also effective against aphids and thrips. A good blue ink is obtained from the expressed juice of the petals together with a little alum. It is made from the leaves according to another report. It is also used as a dye and is green when mixed with alum.

Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are poisonous in large doses. The seed is especially toxic

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolida_regalis
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Consolida+regalis

Botanical Name: Calophyllum brasiliense
Family: Calophyllaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malpighiales
Genus: Calophyllum
Species: C. brasiliense

Synonyms:
*Calophyllum antillanum Britton.
*Calophyllum calaba Jacq.
*Calophyllum ellipticum Rusby Calophyllum ja

Common Names: Landim, Olandim, Landi, Cedro do Pântano, Guanandi-Cedro (Brazil), Arary, Ocure, Cachicamo, Balsamaria, Aceite Mario, Palomaria or Pallomaria, Brazil beauty leaf (Brazilian pretty leaf) and even of Alexander Laurel, or crown of parrots of Alexander, for the beauty of its leaves.

Habitat:
It is very common in Brazil, from Santa Catarina to Pará, and also in Pantanal and Amazon forest; also common in Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. It occurs between sea level and 1200 meters, many times in pure stands (this capacity in uncommon in tropical hardwood trees). Its natural dispersion occurs by water and fishes, monkeys and mainly by bats.

Description:
Calophyllum brasiliense is an evergreen tree growing to 20–50 m tall, with a trunk up to 1.8 m diameter, and a dense, rounded crown. The leaves are opposite, 6.3–12.5 cm long and 3.2–6.3 cm broad, elliptic to oblong or obovate, leathery, hairless, glossy green above, paler below, with an entire margin. The flowers are 10–13 mm diameter, with four white sepals (two larger, and two smaller), and one to four white petals smaller than the sepals; the flowers are grouped in panicles 2.5–9 cm long. The flowers are scented and are polinated by insects. The fruit is a globular drupe 25–30 mm diameter.

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Cultivation:
Brazil beauty leaf grows in the moister lowland and lower montane areas of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 – 30°c, but can tolerate 15 – 38°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 – 6,000mm, but tolerates 1,200 – 7,000mm. Succeeds in full sun or partial shade. A very tolerant plant, it occurs in nearly all the soil types. It seems to grow best on wet, humid, sites, but also grows well on pure sand and rock sandstone. In Puerto Rico, it occurs naturally on the north coast on sandy soils of the orders inceptisols, oxisols and alfisols. It has been planted on deep clays and serpentine soils in the mountains, and in shallow limestone soils near the coast. It does well on degraded sites, and is very resistant to salt and salt-laden winds. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Some trees bear fruit when only 3 years old.

Propagation:
Through seeds – the tough endocarp inhibits water uptake and so germination will be hastened if this is broken with a hammer prior to sowing. Fresh seeds can be sown in situ directly into the soil, or in a seedbed. Average germination is about 70%. Seedlings transplant successfully when they are moved with a ball of earth, a task best carried out in the rainy season. Seeds stored for 1 year in a dry room have germinated fairly well. Fruits should not be stored at a temperature below 0°c., and the water content of the fruit should not be lower than 35%.

Edible Uses: Not known.

Medicinal Uses:
The resin obtained from the crushed or cut bark, called bals’mo de mar’a, has been used medicinally. A decoction of the trunk bark, combined with the root-bark of Coutarea hexandra, is used as an antidiabetic and vermifuge. The plant (part not specified) is used to dress sores, and as a headache remedy. The plant contains xanthones, including guanandine, isoguanandine and jacareubine.

Other Uses:
In the West Indies, it is planted as a shade tree for coffee and cacao and for windbreaks. It has been used to stabilize soils and to relieve soil compaction in degraded pastures. Other Uses: Oil has been extracted from the seeds. A yellowish-green essential oil is obtained from the wood, called Sandalo Ingles in Brazil. The heartwood is pink or yellowish pink to brick red or rich reddish-brown, marked with fine darker red striping; the 5 – 7cm wide band of sapwood is lighter in colour but not always clearly differentiated. The texture is medium and fairly uniform; the grain is generally interlocked but sometimes is straight; lustre is medium; odour and taste are not distinctive. The wood is moderately heavy; soft to moderately hard; strong, and fairly durable, being resistant to fungi and dry wood borers, though very susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites and not resistant to marine bores. It is rather slow to season, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It is rather easy to work, usually yielding smooth surfaces if straight-grained though it usually tears and chips if the grain is interlocked. It is below average in planing, turning and boring; takes nails and screws well so long as it is pre-bored; glues correct. An attractive wood, it is similar to mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and has comparable uses. One of the most used woods in the American tropics, it is used for general construction, bridgework, railway ties, general wheelwright’s work, dugouts, heavy carts, canoes, general shipbuilding, shingles, flooring, interior construction, and furniture. It is a good general utility wood where a fairly strong and moderately durable timber is required. The wood produces a fair quality face veneer but is not used extensively for this purpose because of the mechanical problems in veneer-cutting operations.

Known Hazards: The fruit is poisonous.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calophyllum_brasiliense
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calophyllum+brasiliense

Botanical Name: Calochortus macrocarpus
Family: Liliaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales
Genus: Calochortus
Species: C. macrocarpus

Synonyms: Mariposa macrocarpa (Douglas) Hoover

Common Names: Sagebrush Mariposa Lily, Nez Perce mariposa lily

Habitat:
Calochortus macrocarpus is native to the Northwestern United States (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana), northern California, northern Nevada, and a small area of southern British Columbia.It grows on dry hills, usually in loose soil. In sagebrush scrub and open coniferous forests to 2000 metres.

Description:
Calochortus macrocarpus is a bulbous perennial flowering herb, growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is in flower from April to June. The flowers are large, one- to three-petaled, and are pink to purple. The sepals are about 2 inches long, slightly longer than the green-striped petals.

Flowers 1 -3 , s howy, erec t. Sepals narrowly lanc eolate, tapering to a long s harp point, 4 -5 cm, generally longer than the petals . P etals 4 -6 cm, obovate, white or nearly s o, with a longitudinal green s tripe on the outer s urfac e. T he gland on the inner s urfac e of the petal is triangular-oblong, s urrounded with a broad, c ontinuous , fringed membrane and dens ely c overed with s lender hairs . A bove the gland, the inner petal has a c ons pic uous trans vers e reddis h purple band and is bearded with s lender hairs . Stamens 6 , anthers linear, about 1 cm, longer than the filaments .

Fruits: C aps ules linear-lanc eolate with a pointed tip, 3 -angled but not winged, erec t, 4 -5 cm. Seeds flat, inflated, s traw-c olored. Flowers and
fruits July to A ugus t.

The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Calochortus macrocarpus leaves are blue-green and grass-like. The bulbs are tapering, like a carrot.

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Cultivation:
Requires a deep very well-drained fertile sandy soil in a sunny position and must be kept dry over winter. This is a rather difficult plant to cultivate in Britain, it is very cold hardy but is intolerant of wetness especially in the winter. It is easiest to grow in a bulb frame but is worth trying outdoors at the base of a south-facing wall, especially with shrubs that like these conditions. Bulbs can be lifted as soon as the foliage dies down in the summer and stored overwinter in a cool dry place, replanting in spring. Bulbs frequently divide after flowering, the bulblets taking 2 years to reach flowering size. Hand pollination is necessary if seed is required.

Propagation:
Seed – sow as soon as ripe or early spring in a cold frame in a very sharply draining medium. Stratification may be helpful. Germination usually takes place within 1 – 6 months at 15°c. Leave the seedlings undisturbed for their first two years growth, but give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. It is quite difficult to get the seedlings through their first period of dormancy since it is all too easy either to dry them out completely or keep them too moist when they will rot. After their second year of growth, pot up the dormant bulbs in late summer and grow them on for at least another 2 years in the greenhouse before trying them outside. Seedlings take about 5 – 7 years to come into flower. Division of the bulbs as soon as the foliage dies down. One report says that the bulbs must be planted into their permanent positions immediately, whilst another says that they can be stored overwinter and replanted in the spring. Stem bulbils, harvested from the stems after flowering. They can be stored cool and dry then planted in pots in the cold frame in the spring.

Edible Uses:
Bulbs are eaten – raw or cooked. The bulb can be harvested in early spring, peeled and eaten raw. It can also be boiled or baked and used like potatoes. Flower buds are eaten- raw. A sweet flavour.

Medicinal Uses:
A poultice of the mashed bulbs has been used to treat poison ivy rash.

Other Uses: Americans grow this plant in their flower garden

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calochortus_macrocarpus
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calochortus+macrocarpus
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/amp_nh_camam.pdf

Botanical Name: Calocedrus decurrens
Family: Cupressaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Genus: Calocedrus
Species: C. decurrens

Synonyms: Libocedrus decurrens Torr,Heyderia decurrens. Libocedrus decurrens. Thuja gigantea.

Common Names: Incense cedar and California incense-cedar

Habitat: Calocedrus decurrens is native to South-western N. America – Oregon to California. It is found on a variety of soils, usually on western slopes at an altitude of 700 – 2500 metres. The best specimens are found on deep well-drained slightly acidic sandy loam soils.

Description:
Calocedrus decurrens is a large tree, typically reaching heights of 30–40 meters (100–130 ft) and a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in). The largest known tree, located in Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California, is 47.98 m (157 ft 5 in) tall with a 12-meter (39-foot-4-inch) circumference trunk and a 17.5-meter (57+1?2 ft) spread.[8] Specimens form a broad conic crown of spreading branches. The bark is orange-brown weathering grayish, smooth at first, becoming fissured and exfoliating in long strips on the lower trunk on old trees. Specimens can live to over 500 years old.

The foliage is produced in flattened sprays with scale-like leaves 2–15 millimeters (3?32–19?32 in) long; they are arranged in opposite decussate pairs, with the successive pairs closely then distantly spaced, so forming apparent whorls of four; the facial pairs are flat, with the lateral pairs folded over their bases. The leaves are bright green on both sides of the shoots, with only inconspicuous stomata. The foliage, when crushed, gives off an aroma somewhat akin to shoe-polish.

The seed cones are 20–35 mm (3?4–1+3?8 in) long, pale green to yellow, with four (rarely six) scales arranged in opposite decussate pairs; the outer pair of scales each bears two winged seeds, the inner pair(s) usually being sterile and fused together in a flat plate. The cones turn orange to yellow-brown when mature about 8 months after pollination. The pollen cones are 6–8 mm (1?4–5?16 in) long.

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Cultivation:
Calocedrus decurrens succeeds in full sun in a moist well-drained soil that is neutral to acid, though it will also survive on dry alkaline soils. Plants are shade tolerant when young. It grows best in a position that is sheltered from strong winds. Trees are slow growing but long-lived in the wild, with specimens up to 1000 years old recorded. They grow slowly in Britain, but they are perfectly hardy. Young trees can grow 60cm in a year but they seldom average more than 30cm. Growth virtually stops once the tree reaches 25 metres tall. All parts of the plant are strongly aromatic. This species is strongly resistant to honey fungus. The tree exhibits very different crown habits dependant upon the area in which it is being grown. At one time these different habits were considered to be different sub-species, but it is recognised now that it is only climatic forces that cause the differences. Special Features: North American native, Fragrant foliage, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagation:
Through Seed – sow early spring in a greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of the current season’s growth, taken in mid autumn, in a light sandy soil in a cold frame.

Edible Uses:
The dense leaflets have been used as a flavouring and protection when leaching acorns.A Northern California tribe used branchlets to filter out sand from water when leaching toxins from acorn meal; foliage also served as a flavoring.

Medicinal Uses:
A decoction of the leaves has been used to treat stomach troubles. Steam from an infusion of the leaves has been inhaled in the treatment of colds.
Indigenous peoples of California use the plant in traditional medicine.

Other Uses:
The boughs and twigs have been used to make brooms. The roots have been used as overlay twine warps and overlay twine weft bases in making baskets. The bark has been made into baskets. Wood – soft, light, close grained, very durable in the soil though it is often damaged by dry rot. It has a powerful, incense-like fragrance and is used for making shingles, lathes, fencing, pencils, construction etc. Mature trees are often infected by dry rot, so they are not considered to be a major timber species.

The wood is soft and light, and has a pleasant odor and is generally resistant to rot. It has been used for external house siding, interior paneling, and to make moth-resistant hope chests. It was once the primary material for wooden pencils, because it is soft and tends to sharpen easily without forming splinters.

The tree is also grown in gardens and parks in cool summer climates, including the Pacific Northwest in the Northwestern United States and British Columbia, eastern Great Britain and continental Northern Europe. In these areas it can develop an especially narrow columnar crown, an unexplained consequence of the cooler climatic conditions that is rare in trees within its warm summer natural range in the California Floristic Province. Other cultivated species from the family Cupressaceae can have similar crown forms.The natives uses it in basket making, hunting bows, building materials, and to produce fire by friction.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calocedrus+decurrens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calocedrus_decurrens#:~:text=Calocedrus%20decurrens%20is%20a%20large%20tree%2C%20typically%20reaching,has%20a%20broad%20conic%20crown%20of%20spreading%20branches.