Re: Gorgonidium vermicidium

From: "Eduardo Goncalves" edggon at hotmail.com> on 2000.09.08 at 03:15:40(5377) Dear Tshu, Like Wilbert said, the name is because of the Medusa-like aspect of the stamens in some species of the genus (notably G. mirabile). It is found in Northern Argentina (Salta and Jujuy) and Bolivia (elevation ranging from 1800 to 3100m). The allusion to this supposed worm-killer activity is not uncommon in the tribe Spathicarpeae. You also have Synandrospadix vermitoxicus, another tuberous genus from the Southern South America that is also reputed to kill worms. Many Spathicarpoids are very poisonous and there are some anedoctal evidence that the indians used grated tubers of both species in wounds infested with larvae of flies ("worms"). If it really works, I don't know! The only thing I can assure is that most Spathicarpoids are "homicidum", i.e., they can kill people! Never eat raw tubers of Gorgonidium, Taccarum, Asterostigma, etc! Remember that Dieffenbachia (dumb-cane) is phylogenetically very close to the Spathicarpoids and in fact could be considered one of them. Best wishes, Eduardo. +More > >My guess: the name may be based on the type species G. mirabile, in which >the male flowers have free, long, multidirected filaments, creating a >mudusa-like picture of the male part of the spadix. Medusa was a Gorgon, >and >you don't wanna meet with a Gorgon. The plant is from high altitude, Andean >parts of South America, notably Argentina, but also Bolivia, and who knows. >I guess Eduardo Goncalves will tell you. > >Cheers, >Wilbert > >----- Original Message ----- >From: >To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >Sent: woensdag 6 september 2000 4:05 >Subject: Gorgonidium vermicidium > > > > what's the origin for the name of this plant? does it kill worms? why > > gorgon? does anyone know? also, where is this plant from? > > > > tsuh yang chen, nyc, USA > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.

Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.