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Umm
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Paging @sadmencentral cause based on your content this is gonna send you into orbit lol. Weāve got an allergic tears Hud/son alert
And as someone in Ontario this week, I can verify- very bad allergy week. Insane pollen counts. My eyes were itchy for two days straight and Iām already medicated.
As much as Iām a sucker for frustration and/or humiliation, thereās something charming about someoneās reaction to their own prolonged sneezing fit being amusement
Two charaters out in the forest on a hiking/camping trip and Aās allergies only start up later at night, when both of them are zipped up inside a tiny tent. A suddenly canāt stop sneezing, and theyāre someone who refuses to cover their mouth properly, instead letting out their sneezes all over the bedding, bags, any spare area on the floor and the side of the tent. And only well after the entire space is covered in their germs do they remember that they actually brought their allergy pills
S/hane and I/lya out in public (at some charity event/ dinner / with S/hane's parents / etc) but it's very obvious that something or other is bothering I/lya's nose. S/hane has clocked about ten minutes ago that his husband will not leave it alone, hes scrubbing, pinching, sniffling, scrunching, pressing, and he looks so insanely uncomfortable. For all his efforts, and please know he really tried his damndest, the thing bothering him wins and he stifles a very polite single sneeze into a napkin.
S/hane pauses whatever conversation he's been having and waits for the complimentary flurry of sneezes that always follow a single stifle. Except there is none, I/lya just sniffs and straightens back up. He looks so deliciously itchy, insisting with his own nose that, yes, you only need one, yes, that totally fixed the issue.
"Where's the rest?" S/hane teases quietly, because from the look on his husband's face, there are more sneezes in him.
"Don't know what you mean." Except he does because he just hitched through that sentence and his jaw is slack and his nose is trying to wriggle off his face. How long will this last? What are the repercussions of denying his nose? Up to you
Thatās His Baby (Part 1/3) (H/eated R/ivalry, Ilya)
Times throughout their relationship where Shane shows Ilya that he deserves love and comfort when heās not feeling well. Cough drops idea from @softsicknose!! Also HAD to add in inspo from @itchyandtwitchyās beautiful thoughts here. Will do a similar series for Shane. :)
EDIT: already had to edit this like five times because I missed the times I wrote āIlyaā and not āRozanovā lmao
DOUBLE EDIT: I KEEP MISSING THEM so Iām just keeping them in LMAO
TRIPLE EDIT: GDI I just realized I had Ilya give Shane his room number (AND made that room number on the 13th floor, which most US/CA hotels donāt have omg) even though theyāre meeting at Shaneās place. Letās pretend they switched their og plans LMAOOOO
āā
Room 1155 for a good time tonight
Shane read the text, then placed his phone on the top shelf of his locker and started to put on his shoulder pads. He hadnāt seen Rozanov in a few months, and he was doing his best to ignore the little creep of nervous excitement moving up his bodyā¦which was really focusing on one body part in particular.
Next to him, Hayden was determinedly lacing up his skates. āIām so sick of these Boston motherfuckers. Did you hear what Rozanov said about you today? What a fucking dick.ā
Shane had indeed heard what heād said.
āIlya, how do you feel about the race between you and Shane Hollander to be the leagueās leading point scorer this year?ā
āHollander will not have chance to catch up to me after tonight. I will score way too many goals. He has not known what that is like lately.ā Ilya looked into the camera with a smug little grin as the reporter looked about ready to cream his jeans with excitement.
āYeah, heās an asshole,ā Shane concurred. He meant it. Sure, he was in a little slump, so what? It was only five games. It wasnāt like he constantly, hungrily thought about when his next goal would be. Or mentally replayed all the times in those last five games when heād shot wide at the net, or fanned on the puck, or made a pass that didnāt connect. Heād just have toā¦do better next time, he supposed. Especially since Ilya Rozanov was going to be in the building tonight.
Fuck. He closed his eyes and took a breath to clear his mind, just as he did in his regular meditation practice. Good. Now he was ready to focus on anything but the irritating man with soft golden curls and a big devilish smile.
āLetās fuckinā kick their asses, boys,ā Shane said right before the Metros left the locker room for the first period. His teammates whooped and started walking out behind their starting goalie.
āā
It was 1-0 Metros in the second, Shane having scored the gameās opening goal. Rozanov had been on the ice at the time and given Shane an unreadable look. He assumed Rozanov was pissed at him for easily bypassing his D-men. Too bad. But Shane also saw that it hadnāt just been the lighting in the TV interview - Rozanov looked unnaturally pale.
He was standing by the Raiders bench during a commercial break when he heard a huge, sharp gasp from behind him.
āhyEHhh-! hyāESSCHHHhahh!ā
Shane turned his head to see Rozanov bent over his spot on the bench, sneezing towards the ground. His hands were braced against his thighs as his breath hitched again. Jesus, Shane had never seen someone who looked more like they needed to sneeze than Ilya Rozanov. Heād seen him caught in a sneezing fit a few times before, and the expression on his face each time was just soā¦desperate. All his trademark bravado and snarkiness left him in those moments. He got the same kind of unguarded look of pure need on his face during sex, actually.
But Shane needed to save those thoughts for later. Especially when he wasnāt wearing a cup.
āBless you. Jesus, Cap, again?ā
āShut up, Marleahhā¦!ā Rozanovās head was rearing back again, mouth gaping open. He looked itchy as hell.
āHAESHHhhh! AESHHhhooo!ā He sneezed downward again, and the thought of his germs going all over the place made Shane feel a little grossed out. He even noticed the equipment manager standing behind Rozanov take a little step back.
āBless.ā Marleau patted Rozanovās shoulder as the grumbling Russian ran a hand under his nose.
Always in threes, Shane noted. Never one or two. Very Rozanov, for some reason. Maybe because it was so noisy and attention-grabbing. Always had to stand out.
Besides the not covering, it was kind ofā¦a sweet quirk.
āNever seen a guy sneeze before, Hollander?ā Shane, snapped out of his reverie, found Marleau looking at him with narrowed eyes.
He blushed and turned away. He hadnāt realized how much heād been staring.
āā
With nine minutes left in the third, 2-1 Boston, a Raiders defenseman high-sticked Shaneās teammate in the mouth. Davis dropped to the ice with a yell, holding his glove to his face, and one of the linesman blew the whistle to stop play. The referees gathered together to decide if a penalty would be called, and Shane and Rozanov skated over to them to state their cases for and against.
Rozanov turned to the Montreal crowd and made a motion as if he was diving into a pool. The crowd booed. Rozanovās mocking made Shane see red. He had to take another deep breath in and out so he wouldnāt start yelling.
āIāll get you for unsportsmanlike if you do that shit again, Rozanov,ā said Brian Rousseau, one of the refs.
āBrian, he clearly got him in the mouth,ā Shane argued.
āMust not have been so bad if Davis is not bleeding,ā Rozanov said. āEspecially since he did not get hit at all.ā
āThatās enough, Rozanov. Get in the fucking box. And Easterling is also getting the two.ā
āWhat the fuck, Brian?ā Rozanov said mockingly. āYou are having trouble paying attention to game today? He took a fucking dive.ā The outburst made him turn to the side and cough a few times. Shane, annoyed as hell with Rozanovās childishness, did his best not to notice how he discreetly rubbed a hand against his chest afterward.
Rousseau pointed towards the bench. āYou know what? Ten minutes. Get your ass outta here.ā
The crowd booed Rozanov even more as he left the ice for the ten minute misconduct, cupping a hand to his ear to egg them on to be even louder. And so they were. Shane watched him go down the tunnel, but while he was still in sight, he sagged against the wall and jerked forward three times. He turned his body to the side, and Shane had a good view of him coughing violently into a fist. Oh. Heās definitely sick. Still an asshole, but a sick one.
Shane shook his head as the whistle blew. He had to get Ilya Rozanov out of his head. After all, he had two more goals to score in nine minutes.
āā
Shane did indeed score two more goals in those nine minutes, much to the excitement of the fans, who littered the ice with baseball caps in celebration of his hat trick. Even as the final horn sounded, the arena was rocking. Shane drank it all in. Hockey was so fucking fun.
His teammates were no less jubilant after the win. The energy in the Metros locker room was always extra amped up when they played the Raiders ā nearly one hundred years of bad blood would do that to two teams.
āRozanov can suck my dick,ā J.J. said to Shane in French as they toweled off after their showers.
Oui, le mien aussi, Shane thought.
āā
Half an hour later, Shane was in a Pharmaprix, hiding beneath his black hoodie, deciding between cherry- and lemon-flavored cough drops. Did Rozanov have a preference? Maybe he liked the ones with menthol? Maybe he hated the taste of honey?
Or maybeā¦this didnāt matter at all and Shane was making way too big of a deal about some Halls and Ricola.
What the fuck am I doing?
Shane grabbed four different flavors, along with a box of tissues and some NyQuil, rushed through the self-checkout to avoid being recognized, and drove to his building. Rozanov hadnāt arrived yet, so Shane took his plastic bag of sick-person essentials upstairs and waited until Rozanov texted that he was outside.
Shane opened the door a crack and saw his rival standing there. How the fuck did he look so much worse than when Shane had seen him less than two hours ago? Even in the dim light, Shane could see the darkness beneath his eyes and the red tinge to his nose. Based on the way Shane had seen him abuse the hell out of the thing, pinching and rubbing it into submission, he could assume why.
Rozanov frowned. āAre we standing here to see each otherās breath or are we going inside, Hollander?ā
āRight. Sorry.ā He led him upstairs and into the apartment.
The next thing Shane knew, he was being pinned to the wall and kissed so fiercely that his knees began to buckle. Rozanov kept him upright, though, and they eventually kissed their way over to the bed. Alarm bells briefly went off in his head - Rozanov had been sneezing and coughing pretty intensely before - but then they were both naked and Rozanov was kissing the tip of his dick and he forgot about everything.
Afterward, they lay next to each other in bed, not touching. Rozanov leaned back and put his arms behind his head, and Shane briefly admired the muscles in his arms and shoulders, toned from countless hours of hockey from nearly two decades of play. How early had Rozanov been put on skates? Shane knew almost nothing about his childhood. Then again, Rozanov knew almost nothing about his. They didnāt talk about those kinds of things.
Rozanov sniffled, nose crinkling, and he turned towards the nightstand and coughed four times, each one more chesty than the last.
Shane propped himself up on one arm. āHow, uhā¦how are you?ā
Rozanov gave him a withering look. āAmazing, Hollander.ā
āYou just soundāā
āTen minutes was bullshit,ā Rozanov deflected.
Shane didnāt back down. āYou deserved it.ā
āāBrianā is stupid name. Is almost āBrain,ā but isnāt.ā
āYou should be nicer to the refs and maybe theyāll be nicer to you.ā
āOh, like you, Mr. Gentleman? Mr. Lady Byng? Have you ever even thrown a punch?ā
āIāveā¦thrown a punch,ā¦ā Shane said, trailing off with embarrassment, then remembered that he was being insulted. āI could punch you if you want, you dick.ā
āNo, thank you. Not my thing in bed. But Iām sure it would be very cute try.ā Shane opened his mouth to start cursing Rozanov out when the manās breath caught and he started coughing again, leaning a hand against the nightstand for support.
āJesus,ā Shane said. āYou sound like shit.ā Out of his post-sex haze, he remembered what heād bought before. He got out of bed, willfully ignoring Rozanovās teasing little āToo far, Hollander?ā
āLook, I, uhā¦I got you some stuff.ā He handed over the plastic bag.
Rozanov looked confused. He pulled out two of the bags of cough drops. āWhat is this? Candy?ā
āCough drops. I didnāt know what flavor you liked, soā¦ā
āSo you bought whole store? You are Willy Wonka?ā
Shane blinked. āYouāve seen Willy Wonka?ā
āI am not so uncultured, Hollander. I have been on many plane rides.ā
Shane could relate. Heād seen Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium a few times on flights with especially limited movie options.
āThereās some, uh, tissues and medicine there too.ā Rozanov was looking at him incredulously, and Shane felt his shoulders inching up towards his ears. This was a stupid idea.
āWhy did you do this?ā
Shane trained his eyes on the tangled bedsheets. Heād have to get those in the laundry soon. āBecause youāre sick.ā
Rozanov laughed. āSick? No.ā He ran a hand through his curls.
āUh, yeah,ā Shane said. āYouāve been sniffing and coughing all night.ā
Rozanov shook his head. āIs nothing. Ice was cold tonight. Colder,ā he said at Shaneās exasperated face.
āDude, weāve been off the ice for like two hours. You donāt have to pretend.ā
āAm not pretehhhā¦!ā And there it was again, the dazed look in his eye, the quiver of his nostrils, the scissoring of his breath. His head snapped towards his shoulder, away from Shane but still uncovered. āhaaAASSHHHhh! AASHHHhhuh! hyāAAASHHHhoo!ā
God. It was a good thing the building was empty.
āBless you.ā
Rozanov snuffled and nodded, wiping at his nose with his hand. āGross, thatās what tissues are for,ā Shane reprimanded.
Rozanov grabbed the tissues, ripped the box open, and pulled out four at an infuriatingly slow pace, one at a time, looking Shane in the eyes the entire time as each tissue ssshfed its way out. He kept his eyes on Shane as he held them to his nose and blew, the loud sound startling Shane a little.
āHappy now?ā Rozanov said flatly, sounding significantly less stuffy.
Shane nodded.
āGood. I have to go. Taxi is here.ā Rozanov got out of bed and started putting on his clothes - when heād made the call for the cab, Shane had no idea; maybe when he was in the bathroom? - and Shane heard himself say, āMake sure you take some medicine tonight. Cold and flu seasonās supposed to be brutal this year.ā
Rozanov raised a brow. āYou are Willy Wonka and Public Service Announcement?ā
Shane willed the flush in his cheeks to die down. āJust take the meds, asshole.ā
Rozanov stared at Shane for a moment, then coughed into his fist and grabbed the bag. Once heād toed his shoes on, he gave Shane another unreadable look like he had on the ice, then reached over and gave Shane a kiss on the cheek. The touch was soft and gentle and it made Shaneās heart flip-flop. āThank you,ā Rozanov said quietly. With that, he went outside and into his waiting cab. Before he closed the door, Shane saw him take a cough drop from his pocket and pop it into his mouth.
Shane stood in the doorway for a moment, touching his hand to his cheek, before heading back inside to put his bedding in the wash.
I keep hearing my neighbor (or her boyfriendā¦ idk if they both live there) sneeze through the walls and this guy always sneezes in like 3-5s. Itās fucking hot
for when you need to put your OCs/favs in a Situationā¢
or if you're simply curious about the science behind why plants make us sneeze
please do not reblog to non-snz blogs // Minors DNI (18+ blog)
Hi! I'm Leni and I'm a plant ecologist and snzfucker (obviously). If you like to include accurate details in your snz fics but don't know where to start when it comes to all things hay fever and plant allergies (or if you're just curious for...reasons) then you've come to the right place! I've put together this mini guide to get you started. If you ever have any questions on any of the following, please feel free to reply to this post (or send me an ask if you prefer to be anonymous).
In this guide:
Mini crash course on plants, pollen + pollination
A selected list of the sneeziest plants, categorized by:
š» wildflowers + weeds
š¾ grasses
š³ shrubs
š² trees
š cultivated flowers
š„ sternutatory plants
š special mentions
The Chhinkni Cornerā¢ - how/why does it work? a deeper dive into plant snience (snz science...hehe)
Some fun plant + snz facts sprinkled throughout
Tools, references, and resources at the end
Feel free to skip directly to the parts that interest you. I won't be offended if you don't read it all!
Some important disclaimers before we get started:
In an attempt to keep this as accessible as possible I am simplifying some concepts and skipping over some entirely. Otherwise there's just too much to get into!
This is by no means a complete list of species rather a selected assortment
I am not an immunologist, allergist, or palynologist (pollen scientist). Iām coming at this through the lens of a plant ecologist and snzfcker
While I did create one of the figures/images in this chart, the others I have 'borrowed' from elsewhere on the internet - normally I would include proper credits/citations but, uh, I don't really think we want the authors to accidentally end up here.
Many plants, including some referenced in this document and the included resources can be extremely toxic, dangerous ā or even deadly ā if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly. Do not be silly in your pursuit of snz.
Let's dive in! (don't worry, there won't be a pop quiz)
Mini Crash Course on Plants + Pollen
What's the deal with plants? Like, where do I start if I know...nothing?
You can start right here!! Okay, so there are a lot (and I do mean a lot) of different ways we classify plants. but for the purposes of this post, I'm going to to break down a few of the key ones in a way that (hopefully) isn't too overwhelming.
The Linnaean Classification system: This is the standard method of classifying all living organisms, using taxonomic binomial nomenclature (a formal, 2-part naming system in Latinized forms).
š± FUN FACT: Common names of plants often vary from region to region, culture to culture, and era to era. You can learn a lot from a plant's common name, and often a lot more from its binomial nomenclature. For example, the plant known as Common Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica) derives its binomial species name (ptarmica) from the Greek word ptairo ("sneeze") which means "causes sneezing!" -- Thus, the plant's full scientific name translates to "Yarrow that causes sneezing." Pretty on[in?]-the-nose if you ask me.
Do all plants produce pollen?
Nope! Not all plants produce pollen. I've put together the following chart which helps break down how we further classify plants --specifically in the context of what plants produce pollen and how they are pollinated, which all leads us to understanding what makes them more/less allergenic and why...we'll get into shortly.
Why do plants produce pollen, and what exactly is pollination?
It's how plants get it on, bay-bee! š Pollination is how the male parts of a plant transfer genetic material to the female parts of the plant, allowing plants to produce seed and fruit, and ensure the genetic diversity of its species is maintained. Let's talk about it!
Reproductive Categories:
Both Angiosperms (flowering) and Gymnosperms (non-flowering) have male structures which produce pollen and female structures which develop seeds and fruit.
In Angiosperms, the part of a flower containing the male reproductive organs is called the stamen. At the tip of the stamen is the anther, which is where pollen is produced! The part of a flower containing the female reproductive organ is called the pistil, which contains the ovary. Once fertilized by pollen, this part develops into the mature fruit/seed.
Flowers (and cones) can be male, female, or bisexual -- and there are even more categories I'm not going to get into but...Nature is queer, y'all! And it's awesome.
Monoecious plants have both male and female unisexual flowers on the same plant, which means they are self-pollinating. Examples include: Birch, Oak, Spruce, and Pine trees; and vegetables like pumpkins, cucumbers, corn and tomatoes.
Dioecious plants have unisexual male and female parts on separate plants, and need to be cross pollinated in order to produce seed. Examples include: Juniper, Poplar, Maple, and Willow trees; and vegetables like asparagus and spinach.
š± FUN FACT: On monoecious conifer trees, female cones grow on the upper branches of the tree, where they can be fertilized by the pollen of male cones blown upwards from the wind.
Okay, so exactly how are plants pollinated?
Biotic Pollination (by animals - primarily insects, but also birds and small mammals). In exchange for pollination services, these plants provide animals with food (pollen is very high in protein and nutrients).
Abiotic Pollination (by natural phenomenons - like wind, rain, or water). These are strong, independent self-pollinating plants who donāt need no bugs.
What makes some plants more allergenic than others?
It all has to do with how they're pollinated!
Insect-pollinated plants generally tend to be the least allergenic, as the pollen grains are generally larger and stickier, allowing them to easily stick to insect bodies.
I mean, just look at these guys. Theyāre absolutely lost in the sauce:
Wind-pollinated plants, on the other hand, tend to be the most allergenic as their pollen grains are smaller and lighter. They also tend to produce a lot more of it in quantity, since their distribution method is a lot less targeted (they rely on the variable forces of wind and water vs relying on, say, a bee that is reliably going to fly from flower to flower).
Depending on the anatomical structure of a speciesā flowers, it may be both animal and wind-pollinated. Privet, for example, is primarily insect-pollinated, but becauseĀ it has anthers that protrude considerably from its flower (hubba hubba), its pollen can be distributed by the wind, as this article explains.
š± FUN FACT: Some bees have special structures known as pollen baskets (or corbiculae) to help them efficiently store and carry pollen!
How is allergy season defined?
The peak flowering/pollen times for plants varies by region, even if the same plant species grows across a wide geographical range. This is influenced largely by climate, and may vary slightly year-by-year. Ragweed, for example is abundant throughout all of central-eastern continental US, but pollen levels may peak at different times, depending on what state you're in (the state of allergic misery perhaps). For example, someone who usually prepares accordingly for ragweed season to hit them in mid-September where they live might be in for a bit of a surprise if they travel to another part of the country in mid-late August...!
What is hay fever, exactly? Is it the same as seasonal allergies?
Essentially, yes. Hay fever is actually bit of a misnomer, as it was originally believed that the scent of freshly-cut grass (later dried to be used as hay*) was triggering allergic symptoms. Grass pollen of course can be a major trigger for allergies, nowadays the term is used almost interchangeably with the more-accurately described allergic rhinitis.
*Consider also, if you really want to put your character in a Situation, the fact that dried hay often contains not only pollen, but mold spores and dust/dried plant particles...
Why does pollen make people sneeze?
In simple terms: pollen allergies are an immunological response to the proteins found in different types of pollen. This article, titled 'Allergies: The Radical Theroy of Sneezing' goes into much further detail.
Also, um, hello?!!? That name???
š± FUN FACT: This paper is the first recorded medical description of 'hay fever.' In case you want to read it. For science, obviously.
A Selected List of the Sneeziest Plants
š» wildflowers + weeds
Asters, Daisies, Sunflowers (Members of the Asteraceae family) in generalĀ
Ragweed (members of the Ambrosia genus): specifically Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)
Mugworts (members of the Artemisia genus) - particularly Common Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Pigweed (members of the Amaranthus genus)
Goosefoot (Chenopodium album)
š cultivated or cut flowers
Babyās breath (Gypsophila paniculata) and its relatives in the same genus
ChrysanthemumsĀ or 'Mums' (members of the Chrysanthemum genus)
Asters, Daisies, Sunflowers (Members of the Asteraceae family), including:
Dahlias (members of the Dahlia genus)
GerberasĀ (members of the Gerbera genus)Ā
š¾ grasses
Timothy grasses (members of the Phleum genus)
Sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
Ryegrass (members of the Lolium genus)
Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata)
Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum)
š³ shrubs/small trees
Common Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
Hazels (members of the Corylus genus)
Juniper (members of the Juniperus genus)
Cypress (members of the Cupressaceae family)
Privet (members of the Ligustrum genus)
š² trees
Alder (members of the Alnus genus)
Ash (members of the Fraxinus genus)
Beech (members of the Fagus genus)
Birch (members of the Betula genus)
Cedar (members of the Cedrus genus)
Elm (members of the Ulmus genus)
Hickory (members of the Carya genus)
Maple (members of the Acer genus)
Mulberry (members of the Morus genus)
Oak (members of the Quercus genus)
Olive (members of the Olea genus)
Sycamore (members of the Platanus genus)
Poplar (members of the Populus genus)
š± FUN FACT: People who are allergic to the pollen of one plant species are more likely to also be allergic to species in the same plant family. For example, those who are Ash tree pollen may also be allergic to the pollen of Olives and Lilacs, as all three are members of the Oleaceae family.
š special mentions (plants that may or may not necessarily be allergenic but still deserve to be mentioned)
Highly fragrant plants (known to or most likely to trigger scent reactions)
Lilies ā particularly Asiatic hybrids such as Lilium orientalis (aka the Stargazer lily)
Hyacinths (members of the Hyacinthus genus)
Lilacs (members of the Syringa genus)
Wisteria (members of the Wisteria genus)
Lavender (members of the Lavandula genus)
Jasmine (members of the Jasminum genus)
Freesias (specifically the highly fragrant Antique White Freesia aka Freesia alba)
Viburnums (Specifically the Burkwood Viburnum aka Viburnum Ć burkwoodii)
Roses (members of the Rosa genus)*
*There are certain types of hybrid Roses that have been bred specifically for traits like fragrance (eg. the variety known as āMme Isaac Pereireā) but honestly...most of my knowledge pertains to wild rose species and I'm not researching this topic any further because people who grow cultivated/hybrid roses can be Extremely Serious about it and Iām genuinely a little scared of them.
Small, fluffy seed heads (wind-distributed seeds that are very tiny and light and easy to breathe in...Do you see where i'm going with this? You see the vision?!)
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale):
Willowherbs (members of the Epilobium genus)
Cottongrasses (members of the Eriophorum genus)
Asters (members of the Aster genus)
Goldenrods (members of the Solidago genus)
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Hypoallergenic plants (these species tend to have thick/sticky pollen that does not become airborne, or needs to be intentionally disturbed by specialist polinators in order to disperse). A pollen allergy to any of the following plants would extremely unlikely, but an objectively hilarious affliction to give to a character.
Orchids (members of the Orchidaceae family)Cactus (members of the Cactaceae family)
Irises, Crocuses, and Freesias (members of the Iridaceae family)
Columbines (members of the Aquilegia family)
š± FUN FACT: Many flowers have been cultivated (intentionally bred or hybridized to for specific traits) to produce less pollen. We call these varieties "cultivars." For allergy sufferers, hypoallergenic cultivars are great to grow in their garden (or to purchase at a florist). For pollinators who expend energy to search for a food source, it's not so great. It's even less great if these cultivars are native species which are subsequently planted or introduced into the wild, as it can compromise the genetic integrity of that species' wild populations, and negatively impact native pollinators.
š„ Sternutatory or Errhine plants
Sternutatory (adjective): Also sternutative. causing or tending to cause sneezing
Errhine (noun): a medicine to be snuffed up the nostrils to promote sneezing and increased discharges.
Important Disclaimer ā ļø DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME ( I cannot stress this enough). This is for information purposes only and should not be used as a how-to guide. Many plants, including some on this list and the resources at the end of this guide can be extremely toxic, dangerous ā or even deadly ā if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly. Misidentification of plant species can also be deadly. Seriously, do not be silly in your pursuit of snz. Stick with chhinkni, folks.
Wait, soā¦plants can make you sneeze even without pollen?
Heck yeah, friends! We've all heard about pepper as a snz trigger, of course...Well, Black Pepper is just the common name for the plant also known as Piper nigrum. Peppercorns are its dried fruit, and it's what we grind up to get black pepper seasoning! And chhinkni? It's all plant parts! We'll get into that later, too.
Indigenous peoples around the world have been using plants medicinally for millennia. Traditionally, sternutatory (yes, that is the fancy scientific word for āsneeze-inducingā) plants were used to treat or cure the common cold, headaches, or in some cases as a stimulant.
Are you writing a fic with a character who is an herbalist, traditional medicine practitioner, healer, witch/wizard, etc? Perhaps they would be familiar with some of the following plants:
š± FUN FACT: Mugwort is considered one of the most important herbs ("the mother of herbs") in traditional medicine (and witchcraft, allegedly). It is both a sternutatory plant and a highly-allergenic plant. It sure would be a shame if your herbalist/healer/witchy character had to both grow/harvest it and prepare/pulverize it...
Okay, but how and why exactly do these plants make us sneeze?
Excellent question, so let's get into it! Come on over to...
The Chhinkni Corner
Ever wondered why Chhinkni works? Why it's so effective? What the ingredients are? Exactly how/why these ingredients make us sneeze? Let's dive into some plant + snz science (Snience)!
First, let's break down the ingredients of Chhinkni:
Well, we know from the list of (some of the known) sternutatory plants above that the root bark of Myrica species is sternutatory, so that makes sense! But what about the others on this list? Let's get back to that important question:
What about these specific plants/plant parts make us sneeze?
It all has to do with Transient receptor potential channels (TRP channels). TRP channels are primarily located on the plasma membrane of our cells. They detect environmental stimuli and translate this exposure into sensations of chemesthesis (irritation, burning, cooling, tingling) pressure, taste, and smell. There are six main categories of specialized TRP channels, which play different roles throughout our body. Here's a chart that helps visualize each category:
Woah, this is getting a little overwhelming. What the heck does this have to do with snz? Or plants?!
Everything, my friend! Everything! Many TRP channels are heavily expressed in the epithelial cells of nasal mucosa. Each TRP channel is activated by different things (with some overlaps) including different chemicals found in specific plant families. Let's look at some of these TRP channels (and what activates them) and things will start to make a lot more sense:
TRPV is activated by:
--- Capsaicin (found in Chili Pepper), Piperine (found in Black Pepper), Carvacrol (found in Bee Balm), Camphor (primarily found the Camphor tree, but also found in plants like Rosemary), Menthol, Cannabis, Incense, Ginger, Menthol (mint).
TRPA is activated by:
--- Mustards (mustard, radish, horseradish, wasabi), Cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon), Tobacco, Cannabis, Wintergreen oil (aka what gives mint candies/gum its flavor), Shogaols (found in Ginger and Sichuan peppers)
TRPM is activated by:
--- Eucalyptol (oils from Eucalyptus plants), Menthol (mints),Ā
--- Cold temperatures
Hmm...does anything on this list sound familiar in a snz context??!?!?!?!
Wait, is this why things like pepper, cold temperatures, mint, spices, and strong smells make people sneeze?
It sure is! When certain TRP channels are activated, they send signals to your body that trigger protective reflexes (eg. sneezing and coughing) to get rid of the irritant. Everyone's cellular make-up is as unique as they are, and we all react and respond to external stimuli in different ways. Some people might only get a runny nose when exposed to cold temperatures, while for others it might trigger sneezing.
š± FUN FACT: There have been studies examining TRP channels in the nasal cavity and the role they might play in allergic rhinitis. There have also been studies on specific TRP receptors in the nasal mucosa comparing patients with and without allergenic rhinitis. There is even this study on the nasal effects of camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol!
Learning Tools and More Resources
See where plants grow on a map: Want to know where specific plants grow? Input the plant species (or the genus or family -- now that you know what that is!) into the search bar, and it will show you its global distribution range based on user-submitted data. You can also narrow results down to a specific area. Note: This data is compiled through user-submitted data and may be erroneous. For best results, filter search results using the āResearch Grade Observationā option. While the results donāt provide insight on historical range, native vs. introduced species, itās a great tool to get you started!
Pollen Allergen Tool: An interactive chart that shows common allergenic proteins and which plants produce pollens containing them.
Repeated Disclaimer ā ļø The following resources are shared for information purposes only. Many plants, including some on these lists are extremely toxic, dangerous ā or even deadly ā if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly.
Sternutatory Plants: A list of sternutatory plant species compiled by the USDA
Sternutatory Plants: A second list, compiled using various data sources.
This paper published in 2021 on the use of sternutatory plants in herbal medicine, TRP activity. and this banger of a quote:
"Sneezing had great significance and value throughout history; it exerted a strange fascination on humans"
I protest the use of past-tense, but alas. Folks, this paper is Snience (Snz Science) in action. If the following excerpt is any indication:
The End!!
THANK YOU for reading if you got this far, and congrats on making it to the end of this post! I hoped you learned as much as you horned (if not more) and I hope this little guide can come in handy one way or another.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, if you ever have any questions on any of these topics, please feel free to reply to this post (or send me an ask if you prefer to be anonymous) and I'll do my best to answer! ššæ
Guys I've never understood the appeal of just a big one and done sneeze but like I appreciate it a little bit after today
During a lecture, my friend (who is super cute and one of my favorite people I love him sm) who sneezes ridiculously loud...actually no he is just ridiculously loud.
Loudest talker
Loudest singer
Loudest player
And loudest sneezer
So anyways we all tease him for it but today he was laughing and had to sneeze and ig that fucked up his rhythm bc he sneezed at like half the usual volume (it was still loud btw it was just less than normal) and then he started gearing back up and sneezed again loud asf and that shit was so crazy
This mf sneezes loud as hell singles so wtf do you mean like if he doesnt do that it doesnt get the tickle out?
Thereās just something about a person with glasses who has to sneeze. The glasses accentuating their nose. Their lenses magnifying their teary eyes. I just imagine taking a flower and brushing the petals against their twitching, wriggling nose, dusting it with pollen, hearing, seeing, feeling each desperate hitch, their face going slack and mouth agape until the final release, which knocks their glasses askew.
And sometimes, try as they might to hold it back, their glasses slipping down the bridge of their nose just a smidge hits that sensitive spot and forces the sneeze out.
