| MadSci Network: Botany |
The pagan website you cited says that John O'Dreams is Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema species), which is a genus of common wildflowers native in the US. One of the most common species is Arisaema triphyllum. Scientists do not recognize that any plant has magic properties. Many plants are the source of effective medicines or useful chemicals. Jack-in-the-pulpit has a variety of folk uses to treat illnesses. Jack-in-the-pulpit or Indian turnip is a very interesting plant. It is named because the unusual flower looks like a minister surrounded by an elaborate pulpit. It also has an edible underground "bulb" or corm, hence the name Indian turnip. The plant is considered poisonous because it contains calcium oxalate crystals and a protein called asparagine. It can supposedly be boiled or dried and aged to remove the toxins. Jack-in-the-pulpit is unusual because it can change the sex of its flower depending on how much energy the plant has stored from the previous year. A plant with little stored energy will produce no flowers or male flowers. A plant with large reserves will produce female flowers because it has enough energy to set seeds. References Jack-in-the-pulpit Jack-in-the-pulpit Jack-in-the-pulpit medicinal uses
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