3/2/21
(Top:) Sabal palmetto, or cabbage-palm, is native to the southern United States as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas. They grow up to 65 feet, fruiting black drupes. (X)
(Bottom left:) Guaiacum coulteri is native to Western Mexico and Guatemala. It typically grows around 10feet, but when conditions are right can grow up to 25 feet tall. It’s highly valuable dense heartwood, lignum vitae, has made it susceptible to overuse in logging and wood harvesting industries. Accounts of folk medicine in Mexico have described G. coulteri as an expectorant and blood purifying medicine. The gum is used to treat syphilis, asthma, arthritis, and various sexually transmitted diseases, while the resin can be used as a mild laxative, diuretic, and diaphoretic. (X)
(Bottom right:) Euphorbia griffithii, or Griffith's spurge, is native to native to Bhutan, Tibet and south west China, and can be an invasive plant in other parts of the world. (X) It produces a milky sap that may cause irritation to skin and severe discomfort if ingested. (X)
