Plant of the week: Plant with toxic flowers aids in digestion of proteins
Name: Linden (Tilia vulgaris) Otherwise known as: Lime Flowers Habitat: A deciduous tree member of the Tiliaceae family growing up to 40m in lime-rich soil...
Alexander McCowan
Plant of the week: Plant known for millennia Chinese used as ginseng substitute
Name: Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula) Otherwise known as: Poor Man’s Ginseng, Codonopsis Habitat: A climbing perennial of the Campanulaceae family growing up to 2m in...
Restaurant Review: Bao-Pau, Nicosia
Our man about town, one of impeccable taste, suggested I try this establishment, even though it might involve buns. He knows I harbour an antipathy...
Plant of the week: Popular hedging shrub a powerful insecticide
Name: Duranta (Duranta repens) Otherwise known as: Goldenberries, Brazilian Sky Plant Habitat: A perennial shrub member of the Verbenaceae family, growing up to 5m in...
Plant of the week: Attractive tree highly poisonous but used by Eclectics
Name: Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) Otherwise known as: Sassafrax, Fennel Wood Habitat: A deciduous tree of the Lauraceae family growing up to 20m in densely forested...
Plant of the week: Dangerous plant used by Romans for food poisoning
Name: Swallow-Wort (Vincetoxicum Hirundinaria) Otherwise known as: Dog Strangler, Vinatoxin Habitat: A perennial member of the Asclepiadaceae family growing up to 1m in Mediterranean regions....
Plant of the week: Herb that will repel mosquitos also given to help with hysterectomy
Name: Basil: (Ocimum basilicum) Otherwise known as: Garden Basil, Sweet Basil Habitat: An annual or short-lived perennial member of the family Labiatea with over 150...
Restaurant Review: Ivory, Nicosia
Once again our ‘man about town’ suggested we try this establishment; ‘they have lobster ravioli’ said he, which surprised me; I was expecting ostrich or...
Plant of the week: Fungus accounts for more deaths than others added together
Name: Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) Otherwise known as: Deadly Agaric Habitat: A deadly fungi member of the Agaricaceae family, growing up to 10cm with a...
Plant of the week: Plant used to create a sense of euphoria also a cardiac tonic
Name: Peyote (Lophophora Williamsii) Otherwise known as: Mescal Button Habitat: A small, compact, spineless member of the Cactacea family growing to no more than 7cm...
Plant of the week: Leaves of antibiotic root used to treat scurvy
Name: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) Otherwise known as: Red Cole, Great Railfort, Mountain Radish Habitat: An herbaceous perennial of the Cruciferae family growing up to 1m...
Plant of the week: Plant used to expel evil spirits and treat acne
Name: Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis) Otherwise known as: Earth Smoke, Beggary, Fumus, Wax Dolls Habitat: An annual member of the Papaveracea family growing up to...
Restaurant Review: Koi, Nicosia
My undergraduate granddaughter asked if I liked Sushi. I responded that I have a weakness for most Oriental dishes, and was pleased that many Asian...
Plant of the week: Plant with unpleasant smell associated with prophesy
Name: Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) Otherwise known as: Jimson Weed Habitat: The plant is an annual member of the Solanaceae family, growing to about 2m...
Plant of the week: Use of toxic plant can lead to mental derangement
Name: Herb of Grace (Ruta graveolans) Otherwise known as: Herbygrass; Rue Habitat: An evergreen shrub member of the Rutaceae family growing to about 60cm in...
Plant of the week: Cure for snake bit can also cause depression
Name: Rauvolfia. (Rauwolfia serpentina) Otherwise known as: Snake root Habitat: A shrub member of the Apocynaceae growing to about 1.5m in sub-tropical Asia. It is...
Plant of the week: Toxic herb also cools the head
Name: Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) Also known as: May lily Habitat: A perennial member of the Liliaceae, growing from a tangled rhizome to...
Restaurant Review: Rous, Nicosia
Our man about town told me yet another enterprise had opened on the site once occupied by the late unlamented Posh and previously the old...
Plant of the week: One of the earliest known medicinal plants used for cholic, aiding vision
Name: Caraway (Carum carvi) Otherwise known as: Apium, Carum Habitat: A biennial member of the Umbelliferae family, growing to about 60cm, in waste-ground in Europe...
Edible Fungi: collected since beginning of time
There is a vast range of edible fungi and most will be familiar with the mass-produced tasteless polystyrene masquerading as Agaricos bisporus and its little...
