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Stinkhorn (genus Phallus): you can probably guess where the name came from.

Out mushroom hunting in southern Maine with a storm coming, we found these at every stage, from little eggs to mature fruiting bodies. The mature mushrooms smell like dead meat, which draws in the flies that spread the spores. The eggs don’t, and they are widely eaten. Some say they taste like green peas. I wouldn’t go that far, but they’re not bad.

In Chinese medicine, stinkhorns are used as a general qi tonic and to support immunity, often in soups.

Safety: Never eat a wild mushroom egg unless you know what you’re picking! The eggs of deadly Amanita species can look similar from the outside, so always slice them in half to check. If you see the small outline of a cap and stem, then it is likely an Amanita egg. This can be highly toxic.

#stinkhorn #phallus #medicinalmushrooms #mushroomhunting #foraging #mycology #fungi #maine #chinesemedicine #herbalism #christopherhobbs

simmer 1 tablespoon of chopped Pinebark from smaller twigs per pint of water. Turn it off as soon as it starts to simmer cover and let cool strain and add at least a teaspoon of honey and dissolve take 1 to 2 teaspoons of the preparation several times a day as needed.
#herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #herbalism

Research shows that pine bark—especially young branch bark—contains powerful polyphenols, condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins), and resin terpenes that directly support respiratory defense: 
Antiviral Defense: In laboratory and animal models, pine bark polyphenols actively interfere with respiratory viruses (like influenza and RSV) by blocking their ability to bind to host cells, while calming downstream inflammatory lung cytokines.
Antibacterial Action: Extracts demonstrate potent in vitro growth inhibition against common Gram-positive respiratory bugs, including Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, largely through membrane-disrupting tannins and resin acids.
Respiratory Relief & Cough: Clinical trials on standardized pine bark extract show it significantly shortens cold duration and eases throat irritation and cough. Young twig bark also supplies aromatic pinene and mucilage, which stimulate natural mucus clearance and soothe irritated airways. 
Paired with raw honey, which adds its own antimicrobial activity and demulcent throat-coating properties, pine bark tea provides a potent, synergistic botanical remedy for cold and flu season

Datura is really better thought of as a deliriant entheogen than a psychedelic. Scopolamine, atropine and hyoscyamine produce central antimuscarinic delirium—often with realistic hallucinations that cannot be distinguished from waking reality—rather than the generally insight-preserving alterations of serotonergic psychedelics. The therapeutic index is correspondingly narrow.
thought of as possibly a doorway to another world.
Discussed in the Don Juan books by Carlos Castaneda.#herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #herbalism
this plan is very toxic.
Timeline of use based on historical record

Prehistoric Americas: Archaeological evidence shows Datura was used by Indigenous peoples of North America thousands of years ago, probably for both medicine and ritual.

Tiny Oyster Mushroom...Split Gill
Split gill (Schizophyllum commune): one of the most widespread mushrooms on Earth, and an important food and medicine.
What it is: A small, fan-shaped bracket mushroom in the Schizophyllaceae family (order Agaricales, Basidiomycota). It grows on every continent except Antarctica.
What it eats: Dead wood, both hardwoods and conifers. It is a vigorous white-rot fungus, and it can be cultivated on almost any woody waste.
The "split gills": The ridges under the cap aren`t true gills. As the mushroom matures they split lengthwise. In dry weather they curl over to protect the spore-bearing surface, then reopen and shed spores when the rain returns. Dried fruiting bodies can revive after years.
Food: Eaten across Southeast Asia, India, Africa and Latin America. It is chewy and rich, pounded with fish sauce and garlic, stir-fried, or made into soups and loaves.
Medicine: Split gill makes schizophyllan, a beta-glucan. In Japan, purified schizophyllan (sizofiran) has been used by injection alongside radiation therapy for cervical cancer. The mushroom is also rich in prebiotic fiber that feeds your gut flora.
Safety: Cook it well, and don`t inhale the spores. In rare cases split gill has caused lung or sinus problems, mostly in people with weakened immunity or asthma.
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#splitgill #schizophyllumcommune #medicinalmushrooms #mushroommedicine #foraging #mycology #fungi #betaglucan #immunehealth #guthealth #herbalism #christopherhobbs

Split-Gill Mushroom (Schizophyllum commune)

A traditional food in Indonesia and other tropical regions, this remarkable mushroom also has a history of medicinal use.

Modern research has focused on schizophyllan, an immune-modulating beta-glucan. Clinical studies in Japan investigated its use alongside conventional cancer treatments, with some promising findings. Laboratory studies also suggest anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.

Another fascinating example of food and medicine coming together!

#MedicinalMushrooms #SplitGill #Schizophyllum #Mycology

“Tuna” is primarily a Spanish common name for the fruit of prickly-pear cacti, rather than the name of one particular cactus species. It is used especially for species of Opuntia.

The usage extends across quite a few Opuntia, particularly those producing sizable edible fruits, including Opuntia ficus-indica (the cultivated Indian fig/prickly pear), O. engelmannii, O. streptacantha, O. robusta, O. megacantha, and several related Mexican species and cultivars.

There is an important distinction in Mexican Spanish:

* nopal = the Opuntia plant, and especially its flattened pads (cladodes); young edible pads are nopalitos
* tuna = the fruit
* xoconostle = fruits of certain Opuntia types that are characteristically sour/acidic, often cooked rather than eaten as a sweet fruit

So the red-purple fruits in your photograph could properly be called tunas, even if the plant ultimately proves to be O. engelmannii rather than O. ficus-indica.

The terminology has deep Mexican roots: Spanish tuna for the cactus fruit was borrowed from an Indigenous Caribbean language (usually traced to Taíno), whereas nopal derives from Nahuatl nopalli.

And botanically, “tuna” isn’t normally applied to all cacti—it is overwhelmingly associated with prickly pears (Opuntia and closely related opuntioid cacti) and their fruits.
#christopherhobbs #herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #herbalism

Schinus molle—Peruvian or California pepper tree—produces the aromatic pink fruits sold as pink peppercorns. It belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae; botanically, the fruits are small drupes.
If you find some in the market, or have trees nearby and can pick some, traditional use would favor making a light infusion and adding a little honey, sip it for its mucus busting and antibacterial properties.
Members of the cashew family can occasionally cause allergic reactions, so sip a little at first to check for sensitivity.
* History of use: Its clearest fruit-specific tradition is Andean chicha de molle, a fermented drink made by extracting sugars from the ripe fruit’s outer tissues. This tradition predates the Inca and was associated with Wari society. Historical descriptions also attribute diuretic benefits to the drink. Much of the tree’s broader medicinal reputation—for wounds, toothache, and rheumatic pain—involves leaves, bark, or resin, so those uses should not automatically be assigned to the fruit. Ethnobotanical study⁠
* Chemistry: The fruit’s aromatic oil contains predominantly monoterpenes, commonly α- and β-phellandrene, limonene, myrcene, and pinenes, with variable amounts of sesquiterpenes.
* Pharmacology: Fruit oils and extracts show antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory studies.
* Modern uses: Primarily a fragrant culinary spice and beverage flavoring; extracts and essential oils are also investigated for food preservation and other applications.

Safety: Pink peppercorns have caused allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, especially in people allergic to cashews or pistachios. Concentrated oil and medicinal dosing should not be assumed equivalent in safety to occasional seasoning. Published allergy case⁠

Lady’s mantle, Alchemilla vulgaris, is a perennial of the rose family, native to European meadows and mountain grasslands. Its scalloped leaves capture jewel-like droplets, once collected by alchemists—hence Alchemilla. It forms an attractive, spreading ground cover in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade.

The herb is rich in astringent tannins—especially agrimoniin—along with ellagic acid and flavonoids. Traditionally it was used for wounds, diarrhea, mouth inflammation, painful or heavy menstruation, and other “women’s complaints.” Modern herbalists still use it chiefly as a uterine and gastrointestinal astringent. Laboratory research suggests antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activity, but good human clinical evidence remains limited.#christopherhobbs #herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #herbalism #herbalremedies #herbalremedies

Boletus rubriceps, commonly known as the “Ruby Porcini” or “Rocky Mountain red-capped king bolete”, belongs to the family Boletaceae within the Boletus edulis species complex. Officially described as a distinct species in 2014 based on molecular analysis, it was historically misclassified as B. edulis or B. pinophilus. This choice edible mushroom is highly prized for its firm texture and mild, nutty flavor. Its geographical range spans the southwestern United States and the southern Rocky Mountains, including parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, extending south into Mexico. It fruits primarily during the summer monsoon season at high elevations, establishing a symbiotic, mycorrhizal relationship with spruce (especially Engelmann spruce), pine, and fir trees. Primarily used as a gourmet culinary ingredient, the fruit bodies are frequently sold in local farmers’ markets, featured in high-end restaurants, or dried and powdered by foragers for long-term storage.#christopherhobbs #herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #medicinalmushrooms