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Here is a short list of Florida medicinals found at J. B. Starkey Park in Pasco County, FL. There are many more, but this list was made for a handout to be used at the Pasco EcoFest and made to fit on one page front-and-back. The document is here. I would like to expand this list in the future as there are many important herbs not mentioned below and many very intriguing plants that grow in Florida, however, you can also see the references below (at the end of the list), which also includes a link to a great plant list of Starkey Park. Saw Palmetto article here.
Here is a short list of Florida medicinals found at J. B. Starkey Park in Pasco County, FL. There are many more, but this list was made for a handout to be used at the Pasco EcoFest and made to fit on one page front-and-back. The document is here. I would like to expand this list in the future as there are many important herbs not mentioned below and many very intriguing plants that grow in Florida, however, you can also see the references below (at the end of the list), which also includes a link to a great plant list of Starkey Park. Saw Palmetto article here.
MEDICINAL HERBS OF J. B. STARKEY WILDERNESS PARK
Pasco County, Florida
TOP PICKS OF STARKEY PARK
Black Cherry Prunus serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark is a main herb for cough syrups. Cherries used for arthritis, esp. gout.
Blackberry Rubus spp. (inc. Dewberry) Roots are quintessential astringent.
Cedar Juniperus virginiana (Red Cedar, Juniper) Among the most sacred and commonly used medicinals of the Seminole, for many illnesses and as smudge.
Dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium A main Seminole herb for many ailments.
Elderberry Sambucus spp. Berry used for cough syrups. Flower for fever.
Lizard’s Tail Saururus cernuus Used for bites, fever, and many internal ailments. Among the most intriguing Florida herbs to this non-Floridian.
Partridge Berry Mitchella repens Used as a uterine tonic and for various illnesses.
Pine Pinus spp. (Sand Pine, Longleaf Pine) coughs, fever, arthritis
Saw Palmetto Serenoa repens Traditionally used for lungs, today for prostate. (see above for link to article)
Willow Salix caroliniana (Carolina Willow) Bark used for pain, fevers…
SEMINOLE HERBS OF STARKEY PARK (not including those mentioned above)
Ash Fraxinus caroliniana (Carolina Ash, Swamp Ash) Used for women’s medicine.
Bay Persea palustris (Swamp Bay, Tolv) A very important Seminole herb.
Beauty Berry Callicarpa americana Used for skin (topical), urinary, and more. Alabama used in sweat lodge for edema and malaria.
Blackroot Pterocaulon pycnostachyum (Buffalo Medicine) For heavy menses.
Downy Milkpea Galactia volubilis (The Good Medicine) Used in childbirth & more.
Goldenrod Solidago spp. (Blind Deer Plant) Various species with various uses.
Greenbriar Smilax spp. (Sarsaparilla) An important blood cleanser, still.
Milkwort Polygala spp. (Snakeroot) Used as blood cleanser and in other ways.
Muscadine Vitis rotundifolia (Grape) Diverse uses among various species.
Oak Quercus spp. (Live Oak, Turkey Oak… (10 species at Starkey)) Astringent.
Partridge Pea Chamaecrista fasciculate (Wild Senna, Sleeping Plant) Purgative.
Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium (Button Snakeroot) For arthritis & more. Considered a powerful medicine / sacred plant.
Red Maple Acer rubrum (Soft Maple, Swamp Maple) For eye diseases & more.
Resurrection Fern Pleopeltis polypodioides For various chronic & mental illness.
Slash Pine Pinus elliottii (Where the Little People Live, Cule) Many used like Pines listed above. Seminole use for women’s illness and topically to clean sores.
Tall Man’s Wiskers Tillandsia spp. (Spanish Moss) Used for fevers & more.
Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera Used for digestive and other illnesses.
CHINESE HERBS OF STARKEY PARK
Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum (Juecai) Topical use for skin, dietary medicine.
Camphor Cinnamomum camphor (Zhang Nao) Topical use for circulation, pain.
Cattail Typha latifolia (Pu Huang) The pollen is a primary herb for bleeding.
Gotu Kola Centella asiatica (Spadeleaf, Pennywort, Ji Xue Cao) For inflammation.
Ling Zhi Ganoderma spp. (Reishi, Longevity Mushroom, Varnished Polypore) One of the most revered herbs of Chinese medicine; for kidneys & whole body/mind.
Rush Juncus effusus Deng Xin Cao Pith Pith used as diuretic for dampness.
RELATIVES OF CHINESE HERBS FOUND AT STARKEY PARK (mostly same genus)
Aster Symphiotricum (Aster) (Zi Wan) Varous Asters are used for the lungs.
Iris Iris Some Native tribes used this rhizome as a cure-all, "blood cleanser". Toxic when fresh.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema (Dan Nan Xing) Dried root for TMJ. For wind and phlegm. Fresh root toxic. Chinese preparation made with bile.
Sedge Cyperus (Nutsedge, Xiangfu) Aromatic roots & tubers for pain, esp. menstrual. Which local species are aromatic?
Sensitive Briar Mimosa (Albizzia) (Sensitive Tree, Happiness Tree, He Huan Pi) A major Chinese herb for anxiety & depression.
Skullcap Scutellaria (Huang Qin) Various medicinal species with different uses.
Sweetgum Liquidamber (Lu Lu Tong, All Roads Open) Fruit, bark, and gum used for coughs and other ailments.
MAIN REFERENCES:
Florida Ethnobotany by Daniel F. Austin
Healing Plants: Medicine of the Florida Seminole Indians by Alice Snow and Susan Stans
Guide to Vascular Plants of Florida by Richard Wunderlin and Bruce Hansen
Starkey Plant List by Emily Ferguson
Pasco County, Florida
TOP PICKS OF STARKEY PARK
Black Cherry Prunus serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark is a main herb for cough syrups. Cherries used for arthritis, esp. gout.
Blackberry Rubus spp. (inc. Dewberry) Roots are quintessential astringent.
Cedar Juniperus virginiana (Red Cedar, Juniper) Among the most sacred and commonly used medicinals of the Seminole, for many illnesses and as smudge.
Dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium A main Seminole herb for many ailments.
Elderberry Sambucus spp. Berry used for cough syrups. Flower for fever.
Lizard’s Tail Saururus cernuus Used for bites, fever, and many internal ailments. Among the most intriguing Florida herbs to this non-Floridian.
Partridge Berry Mitchella repens Used as a uterine tonic and for various illnesses.
Pine Pinus spp. (Sand Pine, Longleaf Pine) coughs, fever, arthritis
Saw Palmetto Serenoa repens Traditionally used for lungs, today for prostate. (see above for link to article)
Willow Salix caroliniana (Carolina Willow) Bark used for pain, fevers…
SEMINOLE HERBS OF STARKEY PARK (not including those mentioned above)
Ash Fraxinus caroliniana (Carolina Ash, Swamp Ash) Used for women’s medicine.
Bay Persea palustris (Swamp Bay, Tolv) A very important Seminole herb.
Beauty Berry Callicarpa americana Used for skin (topical), urinary, and more. Alabama used in sweat lodge for edema and malaria.
Blackroot Pterocaulon pycnostachyum (Buffalo Medicine) For heavy menses.
Downy Milkpea Galactia volubilis (The Good Medicine) Used in childbirth & more.
Goldenrod Solidago spp. (Blind Deer Plant) Various species with various uses.
Greenbriar Smilax spp. (Sarsaparilla) An important blood cleanser, still.
Milkwort Polygala spp. (Snakeroot) Used as blood cleanser and in other ways.
Muscadine Vitis rotundifolia (Grape) Diverse uses among various species.
Oak Quercus spp. (Live Oak, Turkey Oak… (10 species at Starkey)) Astringent.
Partridge Pea Chamaecrista fasciculate (Wild Senna, Sleeping Plant) Purgative.
Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium (Button Snakeroot) For arthritis & more. Considered a powerful medicine / sacred plant.
Red Maple Acer rubrum (Soft Maple, Swamp Maple) For eye diseases & more.
Resurrection Fern Pleopeltis polypodioides For various chronic & mental illness.
Slash Pine Pinus elliottii (Where the Little People Live, Cule) Many used like Pines listed above. Seminole use for women’s illness and topically to clean sores.
Tall Man’s Wiskers Tillandsia spp. (Spanish Moss) Used for fevers & more.
Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera Used for digestive and other illnesses.
CHINESE HERBS OF STARKEY PARK
Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum (Juecai) Topical use for skin, dietary medicine.
Camphor Cinnamomum camphor (Zhang Nao) Topical use for circulation, pain.
Cattail Typha latifolia (Pu Huang) The pollen is a primary herb for bleeding.
Gotu Kola Centella asiatica (Spadeleaf, Pennywort, Ji Xue Cao) For inflammation.
Ling Zhi Ganoderma spp. (Reishi, Longevity Mushroom, Varnished Polypore) One of the most revered herbs of Chinese medicine; for kidneys & whole body/mind.
Rush Juncus effusus Deng Xin Cao Pith Pith used as diuretic for dampness.
RELATIVES OF CHINESE HERBS FOUND AT STARKEY PARK (mostly same genus)
Aster Symphiotricum (Aster) (Zi Wan) Varous Asters are used for the lungs.
Iris Iris Some Native tribes used this rhizome as a cure-all, "blood cleanser". Toxic when fresh.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema (Dan Nan Xing) Dried root for TMJ. For wind and phlegm. Fresh root toxic. Chinese preparation made with bile.
Sedge Cyperus (Nutsedge, Xiangfu) Aromatic roots & tubers for pain, esp. menstrual. Which local species are aromatic?
Sensitive Briar Mimosa (Albizzia) (Sensitive Tree, Happiness Tree, He Huan Pi) A major Chinese herb for anxiety & depression.
Skullcap Scutellaria (Huang Qin) Various medicinal species with different uses.
Sweetgum Liquidamber (Lu Lu Tong, All Roads Open) Fruit, bark, and gum used for coughs and other ailments.
MAIN REFERENCES:
Florida Ethnobotany by Daniel F. Austin
Healing Plants: Medicine of the Florida Seminole Indians by Alice Snow and Susan Stans
Guide to Vascular Plants of Florida by Richard Wunderlin and Bruce Hansen
Starkey Plant List by Emily Ferguson
