The problem with common names

[Jessaboo]

Those of us who have been discussing the dangers of using a plant's common name (instead of the botanical name) will enjoy this little article from Yahoo! news earlier today. Isn't it kind of disheartening that the NEWS article doesn't bother to expand on the botanical names - and neither does the magazines CORRECTION!?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080804/ap_on_re_eu/britain_poison_salad

Chef: sorry for suggesting poison plant in salad

Mon Aug 4, 7:17 AM ET

A British celebrity chef says he's sorry for mistakenly recommending a deadly plant as a tasty salad ingredient.

Anthony Worrall Thompson says he meant to suggest using the weed fat hen, a member of the spinach family whose leaves are edible. He instead told Healthy and Organic Living magazine for its July edition that henbane could be used in salads.

Henbane, whose name means "killer of hens," is a toxic plant that can cause hallucinations, drowsiness and disorientation if ingested. Large doses can kill.

The magazine issued a correction Monday on its Web site. Worrall Thompson told reporters he's sorry for the mix-up, which he called "a bit embarrassing."



Here is the correction from the website http://www.healthyandorganicliving.com/

IMPORTANT CORRECTION

In H&OL7 p60 Antony Worral Thompson recommends using henbane in salads. In fact henbane is a very toxic plant and should never been eaten. As always, check with an expert when foraging or collecting wild plants.

[randydrivesabus]

where can i get some henbane?

[reinbeau]

Ok, Fat Hen is what we commonly call Lambs Quarters, botanically it's Chenopodium album L..  It's very edible, I like to eat it when it's young and tender.  Henbane, or Hyoscyamus niger, has some medicinal properties, but for our purposes, it's a poison.  It's a member of the Solanaceae family, same as potatoes, tomatoes, and deadly nightshade.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

I wonder if he's going to be sued eventually from someone going out and tasting that awful weed in there yard. What would the punishment be?

[Cindi]

Ann, oooooh, there goes that word, that word that for some reason holds an intense intrigue to me......nightshade.  I don't know why (oh dear, I am ramblin', off topic, kind of), but there are some words that captivate me, and nightshade is one of them, another word that holds an intrigue to me too is destiny....I often wonder why.  Beautiful most wonderful day, love our life we live.  Cindi