Don’t throw those weeds away

Makahiya, boto-botanisan, takip-huhol. Lipang-aso, yampong, borbotak, pancit-pancitan, olasiman, sampa-sampalukan, talinum, pakpak lawin, pako, pakong alupihan, hagnaya, pakong kalabaw, pagaypay, pakong buwaya.

Those are strange names carried by strange looking plants you hardly know and, therefore, you may want to pull out from your garden or backyard and throw away.

But think again. In the book, "Ooops…Don’t Throw Those Weeds Away" authored by Nonie Dolera, Carmen Florento, Maur Lichauco and Flor Tarriela, these seemingly exotic plants have considerable uses as food, herbal medicines, construction and ornamental materials and household items, even. The book is a project of The Fern and Nature Society of the Philippines Inc. 30 Times St. Q.C. Philippines. E-Mail: oops – weeds @yahoo.com — tel. nos. 635-6107 & 374-2185.

Makahiya (Mimosa pudica) when boiled, its concoction is good for urinary complaints, kidney infections and hypertension. Pounded leaves are used as poultice for glandular swellings. Seeds are used to cure sore throat and hoarseness: It is called makahiya or bashful mimosa because the leaves are sensitive to touch, closing when disturbed, hence, the name.

Poultice from pounded leaves of boto-botonisan (Cuperus brevifolius) relieves inflammation. Decoction of the plant is commonly used by "albularyos" and barrio folk to treat dengue fever and malaria.

Takip-kuhol (Centella asiatica) is good for diuretic, tonic and stimulant (liquid from boiled parts) and a cure for diarrhea and gonorrhea. For food, the stems and leaves are rich in vitamins and mineral contents. In Japan it is made into leaf tempura and in China it is processed into tea that is gaining wide adherence in Europe and America. The plant, according to the Chinese, is the herb of longevity.

A popular stuffing for litsong baboy and litsong manok, lemon grass or tanglad (Andropogon atratus) lead buds and stems are succulent spices in Asian cooking, especially in fish and meat recipes. Rich in vitamin A, lemon grass is used as antiseptic for oily skin cleansing. Extracted oil is an excellent ingredient in aromatherapy. Lemon grass is exported in large quantities from Indonesia to the Middle East.

Skin contact with the leaves of the herb lipang-aso (Laportea interrupta) causes itchiness and irritation. But. Concoction from roots is reliable as diuretic and cure for asthma and cough. Owing to its high nitrite content, decoction of the whole plant in water – stirred continuously– is a good source of potassium for fruit inducing of trees like mango.

Pancit-pancitan (Perperomia pellucida) serves as food and herbal medicine. Fresh plants can be eaten as salad. This common weed is used for pharmacological preparations and is used as medicine for gout, kidney disorders, rheumatic pain and dermatological problems.

Juice from boiled plant parts of sampa-sampalukan (Phyllantus niruri) is superb as a diuretic and helps cure genito-urinary infections. Milky sap is used for treatment of open sores and other skin ailments.

This one’s for landscaping large areas in homes. Big hotel lobbies and shady areas and public parks pakpak lawin (Asplenium musifolium). One variety–crosier or fiddlehead–of this fern can be eaten as vegetable.

Among the edible ferns, paco (Diplasium exculentum) is the tastiest and most commonly served in Asian restaurants. In the Philippines, it is a succulent dish cooked in coconut milk with susong gubat from mountain rivers. In the tiyangge in the town plazas, it is common to be sold out before noon together with the suso. Aside from guinataan, it is also served as salads and sautéed with prawns and other crustaceans. It is very popular, especially among city folks, because these ferns come from the jungle by the riverside and is free of any fertilizer and pesticide. These are purely organic and picked from the wild.

It is reported that the young leaves and the runners of the plant boiled with sugar are used to treat coughs.

Other ferns of concequence are: pakong alupihan (Blechnum orientale) for food; hagnaya (Stenochlaena palustris) as vegetable and "pangsinigang’ pakong kalabaw (Angiopteris evecta) for food; nito (Lygodium microphyllum) fashioned into beautiful baskets, bags, place mats, fans, hats and wicker furniture; products from this fern commands good prices in the export markets.

Horsetail fern (Equisetum) for herbal medicine; selaginella walichi for ground cover plant, hanging basket ornaments and antidote (leaves) for tetanus infection; pakong buwaya (Cyathea contaminans) for construction materials and mounting materials for orchids and fried food.

Azolla (Marsilea crenata) for eating as raw vegetable and mass propagation of organic fertilizer and whisk ferns (Psilutom nudum), as pot plant this fern has been elevated to the "Hall of Fame" in the garden shows of the Philippine Horticulture Society Inc. where it consistently won prizes.

These ferns and weeds, contained in a book, together with other plants like palms, shrubs and vines, fruit trees, that produce fruit vegetables and leaf vegetables and root crops.

A chapter of recipes for the ferns, weeds and other plants round up the book. With the book, The Fern and Nature Society of the Philippines Inc. and its authors hope to impart a wealth of information designed to "benefit gardeners, plant hobbyists, housewives, researchers, entrepreneurs and everybody who are interested in familiarizing themselves with the country’s rich plant heritage.