Guest guest Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hi Have a look here HYPERLINK " http://193.62.154.38/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/usedata/maxvals=10/firstval=1 ?SPECIES_XREF=Lathyrus " http://193.62.154.38/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/usedata /maxvals=10/firstval=1?SPECIES_XREF=Lathyrus Best wishes Craig _____ From: ukherbal-list [mailto:ukherbal-list ] On Behalf Of sbeard27 Sent: 07 March 2008 08:47 To: ukherbal-list Subject: Bitter vetch Dear all This is my first posting since joining. Thanks to all those who share their considerable knowledge so freely. I have found very useful as I start practising. The link below is to an article that appeared in yesterdays Mail and was on the radio. HYPERLINK " http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain " http://www dailymai-l.co.uk/pages/-live/articles/-health/healthmai-n 'How the herb II used to keep royal mistresses in shape could help fight today's obesity epidemic' 'Heath pea, which is also known as bitter vetch, was used in medieval times as a hunger suppressant when the crops failed. It was also passed around the court of King , who gave it to his lovers who had a propensity for plumpness.' The only reference I can find to this herb is in n Barkers book. Can anybody shed any more light on it or have the 'experts' confused it with others in the family such as Goat's rue? I have added a comment on the site and perhaps if we all did this we would be promoting the profession and raising our profile. No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.5/1314 - Release Date: 05/03/2008 18:38 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.5/1314 - Release Date: 05/03/2008 18:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 Dear All, The bitter vetch, Vicia ervilia, is evidenced in the writings of the Hippocratic physicians and in Pliny. A write-up citing Pliny can be found in Wikipedia, where it says that it is nutritional grain-like forage crop for animals, and that humans eat it but only in times of faminei.e. the bean. Due to its bitterness, it is cooked in two lots of water to remove the bitter taste. When I visited Cyprus last year I found a couple of related species, one notably an Astragalus, the milk vetch and the Vicia cassia. However, also websearching I found there is a bitter vetch / heath pea in Britain, Latin name Lathyrus linifolius. This seems to be the one the article is about. According to a website it is the rubers that were/ are eaten, especially in Scotland ( hence II) Remains of it were found at the Soutra site in Scotland, as the article reports and Dr. Swift has a website asking people to help identify the plant in wild. www.heathpea.co.uk. I haven't been able to find out about its phytochemistry though. I found the following on one website re: the heath pea, but scroll below this to see citations about the Mediterranea bitter vetch and bitter energetics. Lathyrus linifolius The tubers of bitter-vetch were formerly dried and used to ward off hunger, being both acid and sweet. It also was used as a food flavouring and in brewing. Although there is no current use, it could have potential for use as a flavouring in soft drinks, ice cream and other dairy products. Bibliographic reference: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (1995). Identification and development of markets for products of plant origin from the Highlands. HIE, Inverness. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius [On Colonsay] the tuberous roots [of bitter vetch] were dug up and eaten raw, or tied in bundles and hung up to the kitchen roof to dry, and afterwards roasted. Used for flavouring whisky. [McNeill, 1910: 114] Bibliographic reference: Vickery, R. (1995) A dictionary of plant lore. Oxford University Press, Oxford. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius [The inhabitants of Skye] eat the roots of the Orobus Tuberosus or as they call it Cart Mel ie a large knot of Honey, when they are thirsty and faintish. - [From on's tour of the Highlands 1767 - 1771] Bibliographic reference: , D. M. & Dickson, J. H. (1994) A naturalist in the Highlands ( on, his life and travels in Scotland). ish Academic Press. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius The natives eat the root of the Orobus Tuberosus, or as they call it Charmelic, it is said to be aromatic and is eaten before drinking Strong Liquors to prevent intoxication. - [From on's tour of the Highlands 1767 - 1771] Bibliographic reference: , D. M. & Dickson, J. H. (1994) A naturalist in the Highlands ( on, his life and travels in Scotland). ish Academic Press. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius 'Chara' is the name given by Julius Caesar to a plant, the roots of which were eaten by Valerius' soldiers during the siege of Dyrrhacium in Albania. Although one of the common names for Lathyrus linifolius in Scotland is 'charmelic', and this plant has been suggested to be the one referred to by Caesar, there are also suggestions that it may have been Caraway (Carum carvi), a member of the carrot family. [information from Grieve's 'Modern Herbal', from the website - www.botanical.com AND Pratt, A. (1899) The flowering plants of Great Britain. Vol. 1. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London.] Bibliographic reference: Grieve, M. (1930) A modern Herbal. Cape, London. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius The tuberous roots of this plant constitute the Cormeille of the Highlanders, and are very highly esteemed by them. They are dried in the sun, and afterwards chewed in order to add a relish to their whiskey; and according to the Highlanders, they have the power of allaying both hunger and thirst. Bibliographic reference: Pratt,A. (1899) The flowering plants of Great Britain. Vol. 1. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius , in his 1695 tour of the Hebrides mentions that ...the natives prefer [bitter vetch] to spice for brewing aquavitae. Aquavitae, in this context probably refers to whisky (aquavitae also means æwater of lifeÆ) and . also mentions that the bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius) was preferred by the natives over other flavourings. Bibliographic reference: , M. (1994). A description of the Western Isles of Scotland circa 1695. (Reprint edited by Macleod, D. J). Birlinn, Edinburgh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius There is a mention of the use of Lathyrus linifolius, the bitter vetch in production of a spirit (in LightfootÆs Flora Scotica [1777]). In passing, he also notes the use of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) berries for distilling. Bibliographic reference: Lightfoot, J. (1777) Flora Scotica. B. White, London. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius A plant which seems likely to be the ubiquitous bitter, or tuberous vetch (Lathyrus linifolius) is mentioned in classical sources (including Julius Caesar) as having been added to beer for use in brewing by the native Britons. Up until the 1950s, this practice is thought to have continued, it having been included in a home-brewed heather ale by older Highland folk. It is likely that the addition of L. linifolius, with its stimulant properties, may have complemented the intoxicating effects of the beer and potentially enhanced its ritual significance to the various Celtic tribal groupings who used it. Bibliographic reference: Beith, M. (1995). Healing threads. Polygon, Edinburgh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Click here to comment on this record Lathyrus linifolius Bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius) When infused in whisky was said to be an agreeable beverage and, like the Nepenthe of the Greeks, exhilarates the mind. Nepenthe roughly means æbanisher of griefÆ, so the combination must have been potent indeed ! Bibliographic reference: Pennant, T. (1774) A tour of Scotland in 1769. W. Eyres, Warrington. In the Hippocratic Corpus, (Loeb edition) Books VI, for example, the Mediterranean bitter vetch is recommended for dropsy, consumption and ardent fevers. It is one of several herbs mention. It is taken as a meal, ground down and mixed with other item, e.g. barley meal. It is recommended for cooling ardent fevers. I haven't looked it up in Pliny but Wikipedia cites him as recording that Augustus, the Emperor said he regained his health on a diet of btter vetch ( Natural Hiaotry 18.38) As a member of the pea family/ Leguminosae/ Fabaceae, sub family Papilonaceae, bitter vetch is related to the fava bean and other edible beans, lentils etc. though because of its bitterness it is not of first choice for food. This legume is native rather Mediterranean basin, Anatolia and Iraq ( Wikipedia). Bitter taste is considered cooling energetically. As regards promoting weightloss, bitter taste in general is traditionally good for improving digestion, thus reducing build up of toxins from poorly digested food, improving assimilation; cleansing the liver, thus promoting better metabolsm of fats, a cholegogue action, improving bowel elimination via bile release. Best, Vicki Pitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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