Odd Things You Find....
@Ruby3881 (1963)
Canada
April 16, 2016 8:52pm CST
... when you're looking for something else!
I came upon this photo of a fungus called scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea) when I was looking for nasturtium photos for an article I want to write. I was attracted to it for the beautiful colour, but I discovered something really interesting when I went to see if it's edible (it seems to be, though apparently some people don't recommend it.)
What I thought was interesting about this little mushroom is that the Oneida people used to dry them and grind them into a powder. This powder was then used as a styptic in dressing wounds. But there was a very specific mention that it was used to heal the umbilical stump of newborn babies.
My oldest had a stump that wouldn't heal, and I was just recently reminding my daughter about how the doctor had to apply silver nitrate to get it to stop bleeding. Too bad we hadn't had some scarlet elf cap powder!
[Image: Velela/Pixabay/CC0]
12 people like this
13 responses
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
18 Apr 16
I'm curious as to why many authors recommend against it - I haven't seen any information on the specifics, which is unusual if something is a known poison. There are plenty of foraging experts who consider it quite safe, and who enjoy it as a food.
1 person likes this
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
17 Apr 16
In Mexico, you know if a kind of mushroom is edible by doing a little test with water, heating and garlic, but I won´t recomend it here. Generally, toxic mushrooms posses very bright colors. Venomous mushrooms change color at the touch.
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
17 Apr 16
@TheHorse @TheHorse They´re grown and anybody can get a dish in the southeast (Oaxaca) of Mexico City and The State of Mexico.
The custom is that visitors can exchange goods with the natives for hallucinogenic mushrooms; However, you have to visit a shaman first, as the mushrooms are very hallucinogenic for some and can bring about surreal images in the mind that woud scare anyone.
It goes like this; you visit a shaman (someone who knows). He analyses your personality; gives you a mushroom bracelet which recognizes you as a mushroom eater. He then offers you the most appropriate kind of mushrooms in a dish based on your own personality.
It goes like this; you visit a shaman (someone who knows). He analyses your personality; gives you a mushroom bracelet which recognizes you as a mushroom eater. He then offers you the most appropriate kind of mushrooms in a dish based on your own personality.@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
18 Apr 16
How interesting! I'd actually love to hear more about that test....
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
22 Apr 16
I'd heard of these mushrooms, but I don't think I'd ever seen a picture of them until the day I wrote this. I was really struck by the vibrant colour!
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
17 Apr 16
most interestin' indeed! we could learn lots from "the elders" if'n we'd jest take the time...shame our ancestors didn't pay more mind. there's lots'f good schtuff'n that which grows'n the wild. kinda like how ya can make a tea outta pine needles 'n get'cher vitamin c.
1 person likes this
@Ceerios (4698)
• Goodfellow, Texas
28 Apr 16
Ms Kyla - ( @Ruby3881 ) - Interesting post here. Thanks for providing the "scientific name" of that fungus. Back in ancient times folks used to dry and grind cochineal beetles to make bright scarlet red dye for cloth. Supposedly back then it was in scarce supply so that the use of the dye was restricted to the nobility. Interesting how they named this fungus more or less after those bright red beetles.
Enjoy your day.
Gus Kilthau
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@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
29 Apr 16
Coccinea and its variants simply mean scarlet, so it is not at all surprising the names are similar :)
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
17 Apr 16
Oh, we don't have that kind of mushrooms in our place. Good to know the healing power of this plant.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
18 Apr 16
Do you have any kind of mushrooms that people sometimes pick in the wild?
@JudyEv (340107)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Apr 16
Isn't that just the most amazing thing? What a beautiful colour. My Dad had a wound that wouldn't heal after a knee replacement operation and I'm sure they used something that had the word 'silver' in it. I know they put off using it because it was very expensive.
@Castlerock34 (2259)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
17 Apr 16
Thats a cool looking picture, looks exotic :-)
1 person likes this
@Castlerock34 (2259)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
18 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 It looks like a Delicious fruit. The bright color of this is amazing
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
17 Apr 16
It is a unique mushroom! So nice to know that it has medicinal properties.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
18 Apr 16
Some folk names for plants are very fanciful! I've always loved to learn about plants that have unusual names...
