Herbalism of the Middle Realm - Printable Version

Herbalism of the Middle Realm - Printable Version

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Herbalism of the Middle Realm - SentaiPink - 20-02-2013

Herbalism of the Middle Realm
by SentaiPink, Azmythera, Hutchy, Cerberus23 & Raging Lunacy

This is a guide to the medicinal plants used by herbalist to doctors. These trees, plants, flowers and fungus are derived from the standing lore, a few new additions and period appropriate medicine. That being said, yes, there are a lot of plants missing from this list. If you would like to have a plant added, go ahead and use the template provided and post a reply, please also provide the sources for your work so staff can verify both the preparation, application and period appropriateness of the suggested addition. Also, just because the plant was used back then, doesn't necessarily mean we want/need it here in Mesalia. some plants, such as Passion Flower are so rare that there is next to no chance that a character in the setting would come across it, and as such, has been excluded from the list. There are others that have a high risk of abuse or even just to cause undesirable RP, and as such are also excluded. Until a plant has been approved for use by staff it is not to be administered ICly. I've also included some definitions so as to clarify any confusion as far as roles in the medical field based on skills.

Be aware some of these plants or there uses are purely fantasy. In no way shape or form are we saying this lore is accurate to IRL, the purpose of this lore is for functional medicine that justifies the long-life and lack of deaths through infection and disease in the setting.

Herbalist-
The pharmacist of the medieval medical community. Herbalist can usually identify safe to eat plants versus poisonous ones with little difficulty along with some basic understanding of how to treat symptoms of illness or injury. But lack any complex understanding of medicine, sickness, or the human body, therefore, treatment and diagnosis are well outside of their ability.

Healer-
The nurse of the medical community, capable of diagnosing and treating most illnesses, delivering babies, mending bone and treating injuries. The healer generally share a lot of knowledge with the herbalist but it doesn’t extend much outside of medicinal herbs. The healer often falls short when it comes to, poisons which often have little in the way of treatment, pioneering new medicine, or surgery.

Physicians & Surgeons -
The doctor of the medieval world, Physician’s are not only a capable practitioner, able to diagnose and treat illness, deliver babies, mend bone, injury, and have an advanced knowledge of the science behind the healer staples, some even excel at delicate operations enough to be called surgeons. both are pioneers in the medical field. Physicians and Surgeons are the type to cure diseases and discover new medical applications for different plants.

Spoiler

Aloe Vera
Cactus | Desert, Savannah
Uses:
Skin Irritation
Burns
Preparation:
Treatment of skin irritation
Cut off large leave from mother plant, split leaf without cutting all the way through, drain yellow substance. Apply remaining gel from inside the leaf to irritated skin or sunburn. Dangerous if taken orally.

Treatment of burns
Cut off large succulent leaf, cut tip off of leaf, split leave without cutting all the way through. Open leaf and lay flat directly to burn to sooth pain and aid healing.
Description:
A stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant, spreading by offsets. The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green

Arnica
Orange Tulip | Plains, Savannah
Uses:
Bruises
Aches
Sprains
Arthritis
Insect Bits
Acne
Preparation:
Treatment of bruises aches sprains arthritis insect bites acne and chapped lips
Dried or fresh flowerheads can be mixed with grain alcohol, seal in a jar and shaken occasionally for two weeks. Strain into bottle, will keep indefinitely. Apply to the affected area’s to reduce discomfort and aid in healing. Dangerous if taken orally.
Description:
They have a deep-rooted, erect stem, that is usually unbranched. Their downy, opposite leaves are borne towards the apex of the stem. The ovoid, leathery, basal leaves are arranged in a rosette.
They show large yellow or orange flowers.

Birch
Birch Leaf, Log & Sapling | Forest
Uses:
Cast for broken limbs
Antiseptic
Parasites
Itches
Inflammation
Joint pain
Preparation:
Cast for broken limbs
Soak birch bark in water until very soft. Carefully fit to limb, bind to limb with woollen bandages. On drying, bark should be stiff and firm.

Antiseptic treatment, treatment for parasites, external itches and inflammation
Collect birch sap by hanging a bucket or bottle from a severed branch (birch sapling). Apply to affected skin or surface daily. Use while fresh, spoils in 2-5 days unless fermented and distilled. Distilling is the recommended preparation due to the extreme shelf life and increased effectiveness.

Treatment for joint pain
Leaves must be fresh. Chop leaves finely, place a handful into a pot of water, cover and boil for ten minutes. Bathe in daily.
Description:
The Birch Trees tend to be slender, the bark of this tree is commonly white or grayish white with dark horizontal striations. The leaves of the Birch are usually ovate or egg-shaped. The wood and pulp of this tree is very pale, and soft.

Cat Nip
Spruce Leaves | Plains, Forest, Swamp
Uses:
Sore Throat
Preparation:
Treatment of sore throat
Chop leaves finely, place a handful into a pot of water, cover the mix and boil for ten minutes. Drink to ease pain, can also be made into a tincture or poultice. Drying and smoking the plant is also viable. It eases pain as a very mild anesthetic.
Description:
Catnip is an erect perennial with a minty smell and square stems. it has downy foliage and the serrated appearance of its leaf edges. The flower color is white with unusual purple dots.

Chamomile
Oxeye Daisy | Plains
Uses:
Fever
Headache
Hayfever
Anxiety
Stress
Insomnia
Depression
Eye Irritation
Preparation:
Treatment for fever, headache, hayfever, anxiety, stress, insomnia, depression
Remove petals from plant. Place handful into a pot of boiling water. Consume while fresh when symptoms are present. Mixture should calm the nervous system and as a result treat anxiety and anxiety-related illnesses.

Treatment for eye irritation.
Remove petals from plant. chop finely and sun-dry for two days. Place a handful in a pot of boiling water, allow mix to simmer for ten minutes. Cool mixture, strain, then wash eyes in it while it is fresh.
Description:
White flowers and procumbent stems; the leaves are alternate, finely dissected, and downy to glabrous. The solitary, terminal flower heads consist of prominent yellow disk flowers and silver-white ray flowers

Comfrey
Jungle Leaves | Plains, Forest
Uses:
Anti Inflammatory
Cuts
Sprains
Skin Irritation
Broken Bones
Preparation:
Treatment of mending bones and easing inflammation
Dried or fresh leaves can chopped finely and mixed with grain alcohol and made into liniments to be applied to the affected area to help with the healing process and reduce inflammation.
Description:
Hairy broad leaves that bears small bell-shaped flowers of various colours, typically cream or purplish.

Dandelion
Yellow Flower | Plains, Jungle, Forest
Uses:
Indigestion
Sores
Preparation:
Dandelion
Treatment for sores and Indigestion
Collect dandelion roots, and after cleansing, sun-dry for two days, chop finely and roast. Grind into granule, place a handful into a pot of boiling water, stir until dark. Strain and consume while fresh.
Description:
The dandelion has long, lance-shaped leaves. They're deeply toothed. Each yellow flower head consists of hundreds of tiny ray flowers.The flower head can change into the familiar, white, globular seed head overnight. Each seed has a tiny parachute.

Fevorfew
Oxeye Daisy | Plains
Uses:
Fever
Headaches
Preparation:
Treatment of fever or headaches
Chop leaves finely, place a handful into a pot of water, cover the mix and boil for ten minutes. Drink. For quicker effects, chew the flower, however the chance of side effects including mouth ulcers are increased using this method. Chance of dependency.
Description:
The plant grows into a small bush, with citrus-scented leaves and is covered by flowers reminiscent of daisies

Garlic
Poison Potato | Plains, Forest
Uses:
Antibiotic
General Cure All
Preparation:
Treatment of infection
Garlic can be dried and stored for long period of time. break up clove sections, remove papery covering to expose moist interior. It can be chopped or minced up and taken orally. It can also be crushed into a sticky paste and applied directly to open wounds to avoid or treat infection.
Description:
Garlic is a perennial plant that grows about knee high, The part of this plant used for medicine is the compound bulb. Each bulb is made up of 4 - 20 cloves, they come with a distinctly strong odour and very strong taste.

Ginger
Potato | Plains, Forest, Swamp
Uses:
Cold Remedy
Nausea
Motion & Sea sickness
Preparation:
Treatment of colds, nausea, motion or sea sickness
Collect roots, and after cleansing, sun-dry for two days, chop finely, grind into granule, place a handful into boiling water, stir until water is discolored. Drink warm. Can also be eaten raw or added to food for seasoning.
Description:
Large green leaves, with a small flower, the stem is tough and tall; however the ginger itself is in the root.

Irid Cap
Red Mushroom | Forest, Swamp, Forest, Caves
Uses:
Anesthetic
Preparation:
Treatment as a moderate anesthetic numbing agent
Finely chop mushroom head, grind into thick paste, add teaspoon of water. Apply paste to affected area daily. Can be further diluted in water and drank to lesser effect. Use while fresh. Do not consume stalk.
Description:
This mushroom is only found in the forbidden lands. The small red and white capped mushroom has a cream or while stalk and require shade or darkness to grow, the head or cap of the mushroom has medicinal properties.

Lily Stem
Lily Pad | Swamp, Lake, Pond
Uses:
Antiepileptic
Preparation:
Treatment for epilepsy and seizures
Once the stem is severed, remove the roots and leaf head, split the stem down the middle and boil. The skin of the stem will peel off, turning the water a pale yellow, strain water into a container and drink one small vial as needed.
Description:
Long stems that grow under water, with one to several broad flat leaf heads and sometimes flowers that float on the water surface. Typically a rich to dark green color with white, pink, purple and blue flowers.

Meadowsweet
Azure Bluet | Plains, Swamp
Uses:
Flu Symptoms
Headaches
Preparation:
Treatment of headaches and flu symptoms
cleanse a small section of root, peel, crush and chew. Good remedy for headaches and some flu symptoms. Dangerous for Asthmatics.
Description:
The leaves are large, curved with one side being a deep green, the other harbouring a downy white appearance, it also has delicate, graceful, creamy-white flowers clustered close together, meadowsweet flowers are accompanied by a sweet aromatic scent.

Paigo Seed
Seed | Plains, Forest, Jungle, Savannah
Uses:
Open wounds
Bruises
Minor Analgesic
Preparation:
Treatment for open wounds and bruises, minor local analgesic
Collect seeds, grind into fine powder. Mix with a teaspoon of water to form thick paste. Apply paste to affected area at least twice a day.

Treatment for insomnia
Collect and cleanse seeds in water, consume before time of desired sleep. Will make one drowsy for several hours.
Description:
Paigo is a weed that grows wild in most the forbidden lands. Its leaves are rigged and fan out from a central stem. The plant itself has little to no medicinal value, the seeds grow in the base of the small, four petaled, white flowers. The seeds themselves are small, round to oval shaped and green, and when crushed into a paste, it retains its pale green coloration.

Rose
Rose Bush | Forest, Plains, Jungle
Uses:
Scurvy
Insomnia
Depression
Fatigue
Cold and Flu Symptoms
Preparation:
Treatment for scurvy, insomnia, depression, fatigue, and cold and flu symptoms
Rose hips may be harvested from roses and consumed in late summer. Avoid hairs when consuming, fruit may be used in jams, pastries, etc. Treats insomnia, depression and fatigue by calming the nervous system.
Description:
Forbidden Lands Rose stems are covered with small, sharp, hooked prickles, which aid it in climbing. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are usually red, but can vary between a deep red and pink with five petals,
and mature into an oval red-orange fruit, or hip.

Rosemary
Blue Orchid | Any; near shores
Uses:
Memory
Sleeplessness
Preparation:
Treatment of sleeplessness or to aid memory
Dried rosemary hung in a bedroom or over a bed should ward bad dreams. The scent of this plant can aid memory.
Description:
The leaves are evergreen and needle-like, flower colours are variable, being white, pink, purple, or blue.

Saguaro Pulp
Cactus | Desert, Mesa
Uses:
Sedative
Preparation:
Treatment of sleep disorders and surgery preperation
Carefully harvest section of live cactus, remove barbs, fruit and flowers, split cactus and remove outer skin, then boil remains for half an hour before mashing. Pulp can be stored for up to 6 months at a time, in air tight container.

Take orally, paste is bitter tasting. One spoonful will put the patient to sleep, Three will render them unconscious. Anymore can be dangerous. Saguaro is a favored sedative over irid cap for operations as it is generally less dangerous but does require quarter of an hour for full effect after ingestion.
Description:
A pale green and very tall cactus that can often reach the height of trees. It bearsbroad white flowers with tubular shafts and is covered in painful barbs. It bears egg sized and shaped bright red fruit with a dozen seeds in each. Fruit is inedible.

Silphium
Sunflower | Forest, Plains, Jungle
Uses:
Contraceptive
Fever
Sore Throat
Preparation:
Treatment for sore throat, fever or as a contraceptive
Collect petals and seeds, cleanse, and grind into paste. Add to boiling water and stir until dark, then strain. Drink as needed for sore throat and fever. To prevent pregnancies, women should drink once a month. Petals and seeds can be dried and stored for up to 2 years.
Description:
This is a yellow flower that grows on foot tall stalks with long leaves protruding from the base and middle. This plant is easily recognized, even by a layman as the seeds of this plant are green and distinctly heart shaped.

Sunray
Sunflower | Forest, Plains, Savannah, Swamp
Uses:
Depression
Inflammation
Preparation:
Treatment of depression
Flower, flower bud and fruit can all be used. The flower can be dried and prepared as a red and rather pleasant tea at any time of year with the drawback that more flowers need to be used to get desired effect. The flower buds and fruit can be crushed to produce a red juice that can be added in water or tea. The juice have to be fresh but less flower buds or berries are needed to produce same effect as the dried flower. Potentially dangerous for patients with other or chronic mental diseases, especially if taken regularly over a longer time. Potentially decreases the contraceptive effect of silphium if used excessively as well.
Treatment of Inflammation
The red juice of the flower buds and fruits can be applied to wounds/rashes/etc to treat inflammation. The amount of juice needed however remains rather large compared to other herbs.
Description:
Sunray grows with erect and branched stems at the top. Each branch can produce multiple yellow flowers that are simple with five petals. Tiny black dots also cover the petals. It has opposing, stalkless, narrow, oblong leaves that are yellow-green and are covered with tiny transparent dots. It can grow as tall as 1 meter in height.

Volarian
Shrub | Plains, Forest, Swamp
Uses:
Insomnia
Anxiety
Preparation:
Treatment of insomnia and anxiety
Collect roots, and after cleansing, sun-dry for two days, chop finely and roast. Grind into granule, place a handful into a pot of boiling water, stir until dark. Strain and consume while fresh. Will cause sleepiness but not unconsciousness.
Description:
Small leafy sprigs, grow low and small, hard to see as they are often hidden beneath other shrubbery and growth.

Yarrow
Oak Leaves, Sugar & Water bottle | All
Uses:
Open Wounds
Toothaches
Earaches
Cold & Flu
Minor Analgesic
Anti-inflammatory
Preparation:
Treatment for toothaches
Leaves of the yarrow plant can be cleansed and chewed to ease tooth aches.

Treatment for open wounds, Inflammation and as a minor analgesic
Hang yarrow leaves to dry, crush, apply directly to wound, it functions as an anti-inflammatory and minor Analgesic. Will also stem blood flow.

Treatment for cold, flu, ear-aches
Yarrow leaves can be hung out away from sunlight and dust to dry, then distilled, use as a chest rub for treatment for the cold and Flu and small amounts can poured into ears for treatment of ear aches.
Description:
With large feathery foliage and big, flat flower heads that bloom for a longer period than most perennials in yellows, whites, pinks and reds.

Re: Herbalism of the Middle Realm - SentaiPink - 22-02-2013

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FOOD RELATED PLANTS AND SPICES
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Re: Herbalism of the Middle Realm - SentaiPink - 19-03-2013

[Reserved for dangerous and poisonous herbs]

Re: Herbalism of the Middle Realm - Demotheus - 23-03-2013

So, what about mind altering plants/fungi, etc.?

Re: Herbalism of the Middle Realm - SentaiPink - 23-03-2013

There are none as far as the lore is concerned. There are such effects certain IRL plants can cause, but you'd need to make a proposal to have them added or express permission from staff. I'm not going to add them, and I intentionally excluded them because they stand no point in RP aside for a flimsy excuse for characters to behave inappropriately. Which beer does just fine without any help at all.