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  Re: [Aroid-l] Julius Boos and Tricia Frank
From: "Marek Argent" <abri1973 at wp.pl> on 2010.06.27 at 02:25:31(21147)
Dear All,

So sorry to hear about this. I usually try to analyze the situation rationally. Recently too often I get messages that someone working a lot with aroids dies or is seriously ill. Probably this will make me an insomniac until I (or someone else) solves this puzzle. I looked at the names of aroids, both scientific and common ones. Many of them refer to the creatures of darkness, of things causing fear and commonly known as "evil". In botanical names we find Draco, Typhon, Sauro. Often they come from unpleasant smell or appearance, we all know that aroids are poisonous because of calcium oxalate, but let's dive deeper. Into such domains of life like religions or superstitions. In many European languages the common, sometimes very old traditional names are connected to demonic entities. "Adder's Tongue", "Devil's Tongue", "Devil's Ivy" are examples in English, in other languages: Czech "Dablik" = devil, Norwegian "myrk/mörk" = dark, Finnish "vehkeily" - trick, intrigue (trap inflorescence?). The origin of the name Arum/Araceae is also mysterious, it may come from "aroma", but as well from "ar" - fire (red fruits?) or even from Charon. http://www.wschowa.com/abrimaal/araceum/pages/common.htm

Some aroids were researched by NASA, the research proved that the popular tropical aroids like Spathiphyllum, Epipremnum, Philodendron and other plants living in shady, humid biomes (ferns, orchids) emit negative ions which are helpful for human's health
(relaxing), but... if they emit something, they require other substances. Which ones?

I've also read that many aroids release histamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for inflammation in the human immunity system, what is it? Even my doctor had to search in a book and was not sure when I asked him about histamine. It is used for curing vertigo, too.

These are some facts and probably there no person who knows responses for all the question marks.

Do we feel unsafe when we are in places where are no aroids, are they addictive?

Are our treasures perfidious slow-killers?

or maybe we (gardeners, botanists, nature lovers) are just more fragile than people who build houses, repair cars, compete in sport

and we create a modern mythology - in the orchid world there are also names like Dracula nosferatu - fantasy or deeper sensations (radiesthetic etc.)

...

Marek

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