Dodonaea viscosa

Dodonaea viscosa and Bio-Actigeneration       

****Note: Before gathering any plant. Know and study that plant. Identify the plant!! Know that Dodonaea, hop tree has deadly look alike plants growing frequently, especially in urban environments, in the same habitat. That can easily be mistaken of one another. In other words don't gather or use this plant until you can tell the difference. The plant i am talking can kill- Until you can tell them apart, leave them alone.***     

Dodonaea viscosa is a ubiquitous plant. Ranked one of the top four most versatile herbs in any first aid kit. Top three herbs for liver restoration on the same level of Milk Thistle. And, and yes, a cool name for a baby if you're PG or heading that way, or plan to adopt- use it, for a name that is- be original. A power plant, an adaptogenist actualizer. Use the plant, use the name. No body cares what you do anyway. Nice baby name. Or legally change your name, or a new ... tattoo, I'm Dodonaea. The plant tells me, please use me. Don't pass me by. Please. 'Hey you!', 'Yeah you.', come on over. As you get older time speeds up, so don't wait. At a certain point there is a convergence that smells like adaptogenic activation across the board, in and out,
Up and down, inside outside, internal external - no need to go any further hop seed bush.
                          

    Dodonaea, named for a 16^th century Flemish botanist, named after a man living in the only place where it doesn't grow- go figure. Viscosa meaning the young leaves are sticky. Makes sense. Belonging to family Sapindaceae soap berry. Also known as hops bush by taste, though unrelated to Humulus. Kinda of resembles wild hops when it dries in that both are papery, the strobes of hops and the seeds of hop bush. Used by early Australian settlers for beer brewing, the same in Mexico-America because of it’s bitter hop-like flavor. Does it taste like hops? It is bitter with a little warming in there.
                                       

   It grows extensively in Arizona from the Superstitions through Phoenix, diagonally south into Tucson and then into the Sierra Madre south to Sonora. Stepping out of climate controlled box you’ll see it and say, ‘Oh yeah, I know that one.’ It’s also used as an urban landscape plant because it’s green all year, pretty and lush and drought tolerant. So you'll see it around town as a hedge along city streets. See it in the washes. See it on the rocky slopes. It's there, trust me. You can find people who say, invasive, others say native. Pan-global, as in everywhere. It's here and not going anywhere.
                                             

     It’s a perennial shrubby evergreen bushy shrub. Hard to miss as it’s 3feet to 7-8 feet high. So it's a big loud in your face plant. It doesn't hide, it's in the open. Dodonaea has come out, showing tattoos, doesn't need special soil or conditions. I take that back. It's a desert droughty plant that likes hot and drought. Got snow? You're out of the loop. OK? The leaves are striking green. Are the leaves pretty? Yes the leaves are pretty. They are sleek, long, thin like a acrobat or yogini clothes hanger model, with thick auburn hair who can bend backwards all the way down, smelling like a mix between patchouli, BO and youthful fertility. Leaves with lines long and thin with a single center prominent vein or simple, essentially sessile, linear to oblanceolate. The seeds are winged like a big saltbrush wing, 3-4 lobes not consistent, with a papery covering. It’s in washes and rocky slopes. Can you find it where I live? Probably. Maybe. I don't know where you live.                      

    I learned about this plant first from somebody special, an original and maybe the original bioregional herbalist who coined the term, which many tried then tried to steal unsuccessfully. this person often working out of teaching Tucson, Arizona and the sky islands. Please enjoy, play guess the herbalist here. ???

     Dodonaea viscosa is a rare pan-global native medicinal plant: native and prolific in Arizona SW, Australia, Africa, Tasmania, Hawaii, Asia. It’s hard to find a more plentiful underused plant than Dodonaea viscosa. The literature of research is extensive both from an ethnobotanical and scientific standpoint. When describing Dodonaea it literally sounds like many different plants. Scientific study reads like a mix up, a wish mash of several plants, partially because they are referring to the wholeplant outside of commercial standardized extract.  

     Where ever it grows whether Asia, Australia, Africa or the hot desert southwest of North America, native people have used it for basically similar uses. Everything. What native people? Everyone. Look don't talk native  a typical mongrel American who can only trace  pedigree back to my Mom, and she is dead, what do I know about native? Nothing. Please.

     What medicinal uses? Everything. Which again makes it hard to categorize. Imagine a plant for sprains, pin worms, tooth ache, soothing skin wash, GI ulcers. How about weight loss and orgasm? Sorry those are two things it doesn't do...but wait...In oil as a salve, water as a tea, alcohol as a tincture, direct as a poultice. What? 

     Movement. Relaxation. Liver protectant more protective than milk thistle. Respiratory. Anti-bacterial. Anti-fungal, inside, outside- plentiful, not at risk, attractive but no shaved head sides with bangs yet. Yet we may get that soon, hopefully. What?

    When reading the literature, then reviewing my hand written notes from JJ’s field school, I find myself saying, “Wait, did I mix it up with another plant?’, surely it can’t do all that? And I ask why would a plant with so many vital uses be virtually unused, unheard of, and unknown? 
                                          

   The only answer I have is that lives and information has grown so insulated and groupthink-affirming, fake-news that herbal info just snow balls into cliché sound bites of predictability. blah blah blah. He said. She said. I bought it from superfood Activator Snake oil tribe. Wow. Sorry. Can’t be bought. Can’t be sold. Can't buy it ha ha ha. 

      There are true informational walls based on how can I sell this? It’s difficult for many to use a plant that has no monetary value. Well you can use it and it is worthless. You can use it and explore what it does without attaching a dollar amount. You can use it without worrying about depleting it, cause it's everywhere and not going anywhere. If anything it has an expanding range. Is it native to North America? Experts say it is, do you believe experts? I do rarely sometimes.

    Few are going directly to the plants. Remember there is no U/you in few. So just do it. Step out of the box. Grab a couple handful of the new tender recent growth. Dry it. Taste it. Salve it. Tincture it. Try it. Check out Dodonaea If you’re a person who is going to the plants directly, way to go. Continue. Advice on use:I can tell you what not to do because I have failed so often. I can not tell what to do because I have succeeded so infrequently. 

     So please work on removing sound bite fake information: What? Hypericum St John’s wort = herbal prozac, skin sensitivity for blondes. Reishi: Adaptogen, activator, super food, cures cancer, female viagra. The tendency to description of plants with a price tag. Rarely refer to anything except money toilet tornadoes with slick predictively smooth sale pitch. Always pointing toward, ‘Who said it?’, rarely, “What did they say?” Frequently go to the plants find out from them what they are for. 
   Wait, going to the plants, "Sounds dangerous." It is dangerous. So use caution. Educate yourself because there are poisonous look alikes. Poisonous look alikes? Yes, Definitely. Yes deadly poisonous look alike also a landscape plant, Oleander. So if you can't ID it, don't gather. First educate yourself.
    Go dangerous, step out of the box. Fall on your face. Use Dodonea to nurse you're bruises and scrapes. Doesn't care about body arm pit hair or if you can be smelled from 25 feet away. Likes wind. Encourages movement.

     While reviewing my notes I kept saying, ‘C’mon Jay you’re making that up.’ At a certain point you got to make stuff up, it's about the plants. We’re a community of entertainers.

      Liver gall bladder stimulating and simultaneously relaxing. Relaxation sinew and ligament, spreading and softening, looser. Squeezing out bile, increased peristalsis. 
             

   Taste:YOU taste it, don’t let me typecast it for you. Acrid, pungent slight sweetness along with bitterness. Resembles Larrea tridenta in taste, not as sweet. Warming bitter, yes. The perfect bitter? Close.

Carminative- dispels gas

Antispasmodic- smooths out muscles similar to estafiate. Better than Silk Tassel, ho ho ho. You salivate, movement, relax. Wait did you say antispasmodic, like silk tassel, and pin worms parasites? wow, are we talking lyme yet? close.

                 

Topically, in Sonora and world wide for scrapes, wounds, as a wash, fomentation, poultice for sprains.  Also to soothe skin. Is it anti-microbial on the skin? Yes. Helps healing with rashes abrasions? Yes.

Liver restorer: Silymarin milk thistle a standard against what other things are measured for liver. Liver enzymes to normal homeostasis. Enhanced detoxification of liver.  These hepatoprotective effects were better than the positive control silymarin. 

Respiratory and topical:Antifungal- chronic respiratory infections in SW from dust and soil born organisms, adjunct to Chillopsis. (Desert willow) Live in Arizona? Got a cough with athletes foot? Mixing up a batch of stinky kombuchu candida down below? You are good to go.

       

Internally: promising antiulcer activity. Also inhibited acid secretion to prevent ulcer aggravation. Would combine well with Canadian fleabane for GI gut health. Is it gluten free? Totallly.

Wound healing_ as a wash

Seeds- analgesic: toothe ache

Anti-inflammatory did I say anti-inflammatory? 

The antimicrobial activity inhibition of candida albicans in studies. three Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both for toothache and candida, mouth issues immuno compromised HIV patients.

So what will you use it for? Probably better does it work for you? Or What can’t you use it for? Find it, use it, don't abuse it.

  Reference:

John Slattery:Tucson, AZ hand written Field Notes

Charles Kane, Medicinal Plants of American SouthWest, Lincoln Town Press 2011-2016

Siddiqui, A. A. 1998 Chemical and pharmacological evaluation of Dodonaea viscosa Asian Journal of Chemistry, 10, 14-16. 

DODONAEA VISCOSA LINN.-AN OVERVIEW 

M.SANDHYA RANI*, PROF.RAO.S.PIPPALLA*, PROF KRISHNA MOHAN** 

A review on Dodonaea viscosa: A potential medicinal plant Prof Dr Ali Esmail Al-Snafi 

Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Thi qar University, Iraq. 

Hautriwaic acid as one of the hepatoprotective constituent of Dodonaea viscosa

panelhttps://draft.blogger.com/nullHamidAli^ahttps://draft.blogger.com/nullNurulKabir^ahttps://draft.blogger.com/nullAkhtarMuhammad^bhttps://draft.blogger.com/nullMohammad RazaShah^bhttps://draft.blogger.com/nullSyed GhulamMusharraf^abhttps://draft.blogger.com/nullNaveedIqbal^bhttps://draft.blogger.com/nullSaidNadeem^b

Medicinal Activity of Dodonaea viscosa —A preliminary study by Andrew Pengelly  2008 

tracing water white mountains black river

                             

tracing water white mountains black river, 
Lower Arizona, salt river/Gila/, 
through black Canyon white river, forming the Salt/Gila/Agua Fria watershed. 
                      

localized in place, spirit geography. 
: ponderosa pine flowing into saguaro, standing people,
walking howling Arizona grey coyote walking, 
elk aspen grass eating, 
bear with spikenard yerba del lobo,
osprey and blue heron riparian willow and flowering people,                        

beaver ring tailed cat,
javelina acorn rooting,  land, earth singing us this way. 
Drinking snow melt lightning rain, hail and obsidian, 
creosote and prickly pear, cholla and mesquite standing swaying wind.            

 landscape,  geography of place, 
knowing earth, walking. Listening watching for a song

news: Rain, thunder, lightning, a moment of calm, to breathe, 
here in Gila/Salt river, 
tall standing summer saguaros with cream white flowers, 
ocotillo to grow leaves, red coral flowers, 
up north near a white mtn, 
black river flows muddy ash from fire, 
glad for rain, 
glad rain,                   

air with creosote flower pollen, 
glad for rain, 
ponderosa pine on the mountain, 
glad for rain, so glad, 
glad for rain salt river 

Yes, saguaro and creosote speak directly, 
learning  listen is learning listen, 
no compassionate listening, 
listening. 
If you want the earth to speak,  
listening tocrowd, mobs in cliches of smashing windows, violence, 
only listening can speak. 
can listen, 
listening and speaking intimacy.
                      

 Nature doesn't speak. 
Saguaro cactus speaks, Nature doesn't speak.
one creoste bush in one place,
speaking to one person, 
larea tridetata 
speaking small yellow flowers. 
listening speaking, 
soft playful seductive intimate, 
courting palo verde, 
saguaro with flowers the yucca have, glowing in the moonlight                

full moon desert, 
perfect stumbling looking and listening to salt river nights sights sounds and smells- 
silence welcome- 
peace



as it is, as in is, 

the one come, descriptive. 

As it is 
 no ism -ist term

 no prescriptive term, 

no should be. 

doing, making life someone 

things happen. 

Basic alive,  living beings self- correct, 

become out of balance

who we are. 

A bicycle in a shed is a bicycle in a shed, 

after two years in a shed, inflate the tires and go. 

I have found myself thinking and imagining like a bicycle in 

a shed.


I lazy mind goes to bicycle in shed-mind.

 I think bicycle, waiting for someone to air my tires- 

a mechanistic model of understanding. 

Spend your time with creosote and you begin to adapt chapparel-

logic, gobernadora mind. 

I like the smell of Larrea tridentata sweat,

 I want to sway. I want to prance, tilt my head back, 

breathe my feet. 

Spend time with bicycles, tv, iPhone, cars and  develop 

bicycle-mind.

 I want someone to air up my tires. 
I want to be ridden, rather than want to ride. 
I become an object, and I objectify my experience. 
It's happening to me.
 I habituate passive, watching instead of looking, seeing, reaching.
 living beings are self initiating, growing according to an inner pattern that itself changes. 
There is give and take. 
Like a seduction, falling in love changes the lover and the loved. 
Otherwise predictable masturbation, like a porno movie that ends the same way- 
because a movie, lifeless, predictable, always replayed in the same exact mechanistic routine.
So choice is the ultimate human, play, loving. 
Making shit happen because. 
Yes marriage had to change and has to continue to change, 
 not according to linear-mechanistic time, with a goal in mind like a cosmic porno flick. 
It's circular change, living growth which may mean antiquated forms.
Anyway.... Lots of respect for mothers, married moms, moms in bikinis, moms in dresses
...according to choice, the decision, what is true for each one
...... End Of Teisho

Erythrina flabelliformis, chilicote, coral bean

                                         

Erythrina flabelliformis, chilicote, coral bean. An elegant plant ally of protection from mal de ojo and witchcraft carried on ones person.
                                4200ft Rincon, perennial, shrubby tree, frost determinate,             

light brown bark has longitudinal white lines, like warm south facing slopes w granite outcrops, beautiful brilliant shiny blood red seeds in 5 inch pod. Hummingbirds pollinate the pointed similarly red tubular spiky pointed rosette. The plant has long tradition of encouraging strong protective qualities that enables one to bend without breaking. 
                                  

The blood red Scarlet seeds, and blood red Scarlet flowers together with the leafless nature of the plant has the nature of mystery, specifically of the martyrs who while dying were also preserved.               
                              

The idea of the blood and wounds of Christ and the blood of martyrs lends itself through the special quality of the wood, who's grains when looked at with a loupe appear to be filled with light as are the saints who protect us who believe in them through the Holy Ghost. 
                                 

Creosote Bush Way

 Creosote Bush Way.

by Paul Manski         

Litanies are and were used in the traditions of prayer to the Virgin Mother of God, Christ, the angels, Holy Ghost and the saints in the traditional Roman Catholic Church. Recited on festive holy days. Used in times of need by the people of God. 

    La Gobernadora is Larrea tridentata a dominant plant of the southwest from Texas to California and south into Mexico. Understood in a similar way as an aspect of the Virgin Mary Mother of God. Plants have long been associated with prayer, the angels, saints and the Virgin Mary. Marigolds, Mary's Gold, yerba santa, St John's wort, lilies, roses, all have this connection. La Gobernadora as the governess, Larrea tridentata has t likewise this assignment.  
                                   

     Litanies are patterns in song, observations and notes, dialogue with place, conversations. The evidence for the pattern is the browned grass which will green again, resurrection and return is the pattern of change. At times we celebrate birth, and the passing of life and at other times invoke a healing. Inviting, cultivating change is the herbal medicine road way of rebirth. Litanies are memories recited to honor and bring forward confidence in times of challenge. Words attempt to bring forward and capture and as such are to cherished and respected. Being in a place invites words. Being in a place invites silence.                           

     Litanies are words held that lead us to truth. Words are sound though La Gobernadora is silent to most. Yet we are not silent so words are used. With faith hope and charity, sickness is named as a false narrative, for as long as there is life the story is not finished. Miracles happen. At times the miracle is to embrace suffering. Health is the truth. With words we invoke a truth of health sometimes lost, sometimes forgotten. We also honor the suffering and pain that inevitably accompanies the journey. Joy is as real as sadness. 

     Litanies are vocal prayer used to affirm and acknowledge. They are used to plead for God's mercy and protection. God presents to us in silence. God represents to us in a place. We are in place. We speak for ourselves and others caught in a dream of ill health. While pronouncing the words they maybe lies at this time or forgotten buried truths. Yet we have breath. We are breathing for others who at the present time may be unable to affirm for themselves. We are speaking not so much for the voiceless but for those who voices have been stolen, we communicate beyond words. The breath like wind, which is the Holy Ghost, flows and penetrates. Words are used to focus change in the sense of moving balance. No one owns litanies or contains them, they are flowing like water, flowing like wind. The La Gobernadora, Larrea tridentata, The Creosote Bush is like water seeking the lowest places, like wind penetrating everywhere.

      Gobernadora should be made into a wand, or small broom and sweep the patient from head to feet. The patient closes his or her eyes, then the hands are cupped over the eye, and a cloth covers the eye, to protect them. Then the tinctures are spit lightly over his or her face. La Gobernadora oil or strong tea is rubbed all over the body. If the patient is too weak, they may be seated in a chair. A bit of tea is swished in the mouth and spit out. This process is called sweeping, cleansing. 

                                                 

Litany of La Gobernadora, Larrea tridentata.

Creosote Bush Way.

La Gobernadora Larrea now comes to my assistance.

Gobernadora hasten to help me.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost, and of La Gobernadora Blessed Mary Mother of God, Larrea, Queen of heaven and earth; as it was at the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end Amen.

La Gobernadora most beautiful; pray for us.

Gobernadora my protectress, pray for us.

Abundant sure supply, pray for us.          

pray with me, for me, for this child before you, show your healing way, head to toe, pray for us.

Around the head, good thoughts, pray for us.

Eyes to see your green leaf and white fuzzy flowers under turquoise desert sky, pray for us.

Ears to hear your voice of javelina dancing in the canyon, pay for us.

Mouth and tongue to bless and nourish, pray for us.. 

Visualive now:
Teeth to chew swallow food, pray for us.

Neck and shoulders supple and strong.

Spine flexible to bend.

Hands, fingers for your work of plants healing.

All digestive smooth in or out.

Legs to walk your creosote trails.

From head to toe we your children, your relatives, your family.

--Refuge of the weak, pray for us.

--Triumph of the strong abiding, pray for us.

-Creosote Bush way, pray for us.       

-You painter of the Red slick rock cockscomb. 

X-pray for us...

-giving leaf to ocotillo and saguaro blossoms ....pray for us.

---with root beer flowers, paguày and orange Yerba del negrita flowers, round like the sun, pray for us.

-green and sweet after winter rain...., pray for us.

-bringing moist dew and lightning rain...,pray for us.

-of Black mule deer fast sure of foot on rocky slopes..., pray for us.

--slow steady tortoise steps.

-of sycamore, cottonwood and willow creeks...pray for us. 
                                     

-Green in spring, yellow in autumn, pray for us.

-of beaver and mud dams and pools, pray for us.

-of coatimundi, ring tail pointing towards

the cliffs, holding up mountains, pray for us.

--On the slopes purple prickly pear and lemon cholla buds, pray for us.

--You hear our prayers of coopers hawk and jackrabbit.

-teacher of javelina, pray for us. 

-you are yellow barrel cactus fruit, pray for us.

Planter of mesquite bosque ...pray for us.

Gobernadora keeper of all in your deer house, pray for us.

-seat of wisdom spouse of Holy Ghost & brittle bush wind., pray for us.

-birther to hopeful sunrise, pray for us.

-falling star-dust songs, pray for us.

--Geminids with Orion hunting day east to night west, horizon to horizon, pray for us.

---With Jupiter in Libra and Venus in Scorpio at dawn, pray for us.

 -medicine to despair, pray for us. 

-mother of plant people, pray for us. 

-shelter of cactus wren, cardinal, yellow breasted warbler, pray for us.

-source of hanging gardens, seeps and springs, pray for us.

-draw of suck and mothers milk supply, pray for us.

--creator of obsidian night star-shine, pray for us. 

--falling star-dust songs, pray for us.

--around the elliptic your feet on the moon, your crown of twelve stars, pray for us.

--teacher of coyotes to yip-yap sing, pray for us.

-source of all bird song, pray for us.

---swoosh swoosh swoosh of wings, pray for us.

-leader of tortoise and Box turtle, pray for us. 

-guide to bob cat and lion, pray for us.

protector of mole and long tailed mouse, pray for us.

streaking dusk evening sky pink, orange and purple, pray for us,.

-patience to the young, pray for us.

-From head to toe, from east to west, north to south Larrea La Gobernadora you are potent to heal, pray for us.

Creosote Bush come to my assistance.

Your pungent branches make haste to help me.

Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Who made heaven and earth.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost, and of La Gobernadora Larrea Blessed Mary Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth;

In the name of Jesus, your son

bring this movement and change for healing, with all the angels and saints.                   

Memorare:

La Gobernadora, Larrea, Blessed Mother Mary Our Governesses, never was it known anyone who fled to your protection, sought your intercession was left behind. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto thee sinful and sorrowful. Our Mother of the word Incarnate despise not our petitions but in your mercy hear and answer them.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert

Have mercy on us.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert 

Have mercy on us.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert 

Have mercy on us.

O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,

Pray for us. 

O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,

Pray for us. 

O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,

Pray for us. 

Sweet-cicely, Osmorhiza depauperata

       Osmorhiza depauperata, at 9200ft Family: Apiaceae, ((Bluntseed sweet root)), for me this plant is Sweet-cicely. Seeing it come up prolifically in the spring is a sweet good sign- yet like all signs, seems the Lord giveth and taketh away. 
                                      

          I say giveth and taketh because while it was super abundant where I was camping the last three days, battling the crazy wind zipping and whooshing between my ears. Always wondering if my stupid life of sin is going to catch up to me and God is going to zap and crack  me with a dead ponderosa pine snag. It was also a bummer to see so many spruce trees under spiritual attack. I don't know any other term to use. 
       I know its wrong to say trees are under spiritual attack, but I don't know what else to call it. Between the extreme fire ravaged forest and these dying deep spruce it's feeling a lot like, these forests are remnants. 
                                                 

        A lot of times these days I get the feeling I am walking through a tree museum. Looking at the last of the great south west forest. I was happy to see the Sweet Cicely everywhere but still it was like "Damn" these spruce beetles are doing a serious number on the trees. These days I pretty much leave the wild plants alone where they are unless there is a specific plant I am looking for with regards to a specific person.
       These forests are battling and struggling to live. I can feel everything pulling down into the hollows and draws. Like a body in shock pulling all the blood from the extremities towards the core.
The wet meadows and their tiny green zone which feels like an ICU life support area. The hills and slopes are dry bones, desert remnant forests with a little Senecio, otherwise they feel like they are waiting to make smoke in the next catastrophic wildfire show.
         It's a sad strange feeling walking through a dying south west forest. It's like visiting the steel towns along the Monogahela river, or visiting an old lover dying from uterine cancer, whose former fertile sexual body is now 93 pounds on a 5' 9" frame and ashen grey at 37- dying much too soon. You know it borders on necrophilia to bath Carolyn and caress her for hours in her hospice bed, with the morphine drip, yet that's why you're here, to help her remember the beauty and passion and maybe for an instant to rage. and never go gently into the terrible lie called death.