[MPWG] propagation material?

Tue Jan 6 16:11:55 CST 2004

Dear group: 

I've lurked long on this listserve, hoping for some discussion on commercial
farming of medicinal plants. Thank you, Myron (MJH), for digging up the
stated focus of the group. And I add my vote to keep this discussion group
both diverse and very active (but then I am blessed with a high-speed
internet connection). 

To toss another thread onto the topic pile, I am searching for sources of
tissue-cultured propagules (or any sterile propagation technique) of
medicinal root crops. I will be growing the plants in hydroponic systems, so
I require clean propagation material. I do not have access to facilities
right now to do my own propagation. At this time, I am particularly
interested in False Unicorn or Helonius root (Chamaelirium luteum), Black
Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), and Wasabi (Wasabia wasabi or W.
japonica).(OK, I admit Wasabi may not be considered a medicinal, but it
certainly has some bioactivity!) 

Any leads or recommendations for commercial propagators who produce sterile
planting material of medicinal and other high-value root crops would be
greatly appreciated (you may respond directly to me at the email listed
below if you prefer). Thank you, and I enjoy the electronic chatter about
the plants, the environment, and the society that we, and they, live in. 

Anita "Teena" Hayden, PhD

PO Box 6304

Asheville, NC 28816

Phone: (828) 252-9305

Fax: (828) 252-8538

email:  <mailto:hayden at nativeamericanbotanics.com>
hayden at nativeamericanbotanics.com

web:   <http://www.nativeamericanbotanics.com>
www.nativeamericanbotanics.com

-----Original Message-----
From: MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of myron
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 2:39 AM
To: PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group List
Subject: Re: [MPWG] Mission Impossible statement??

What course would that be?

-Patricia

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.

Myron will be out of the office starting  1/6/2004 and will not return until
01/12/2004.

I am out of the country on an undercoverinternational assignment and will
respond to
your message when I return.  Assuming I am not killed.

Just Joking.  The short answer to the question regarding the "necessary
course" (IMHO) concerns CONSERVATION of medicinal plants.
To quote from the home page of the PCA-MPWG (and Dodge the responsibility-
Sorry but the articulated mission as stated is better than any solitary
opinion I could now attempt ...and the review seems necessary):

"Because native plant habitats are destroyed almost daily, many medicinally
valuable plants will be gone before scientists can even investigate them.

How many medicines have we already lost?
What Does The Medicinal Plant Working Group Do?

The primary focus of the Medicinal Plant Working Group is facilitating
action on behalf of medicinal plants native to the United States that are of
particular conservation concern.
How can scientists, manufacturers, wildcrafters, conservationists and others
work together to anticipate trends and safeguard wild populations before
commercial overharvesting reduces their numbers? To a large extent, the hope
lies in commercial farming, which should help decrease collection pressure
on wild populations.

The role of MPWG is to forge partnerships with industry, government,
academia, tribes and environmental organizations to facilitate sustainable
use and conservation of medicinal plants. While our focus is on medicinals
native to the United States, our membership includes international players,
reflecting the fact that medicinal plants face similar challenges on a
global scale.

The group's primary focus is to facilitate action on behalf of species of
particular conservation concern as a means to balance biological and
commercial needs and, in the long term, minimize regulatory intervention. "

I have cobbled these quotes together to reflect the issues I (personally)
feel need to be focussed on within the e-mail list.  Recent contributions
from Robyn, Cafesombra, herbdatanz, Niki, Mr Leonard and others (some by
proxy) have remained true to these concerns.  Nowhere on the MPWG pages was
there mention of any individual therapeutic discussions.  But as I've
mentioned before such "seeds" could feasibly fuel discussions on
conservation in a more heuristic manner (as they have here?).

Another curiosity : It is worth noting that the individuals "who ordinarily
lurk in the sidelines" that have responded to the pressing needs of the
plants and conservation are actually the one's who often respond. What's
curious is that NONE of these people are ever "out of the office" because
they are people who are not IN the office, in the first place.  They are, as
far as I can tell, individuals providing a voice from their respective
localities AND, I have a sneaking suspicion, ACTING within their communities
to further the same goals of the PCA-MPWG. Probably on a shoestring.  I am
wondering if there could be more input from people who were in a position to
do something  in a more central location.  Obviously there are
"bioprospecting" conferences and the like (which RSVP: I regret I will be
unable to attend) providing a great deal of discussion, perhaps even
proposed legislation, but I'll hear nothing in the form of a re-cap in this
e-mail forum. I make this point not to suggest (directly, at least ) that
the concerns of the PCA are not being addressed with the tangential(?)
discussion of herbal therapeutics.  Rather, I am wondering what may be done
to facilitate the communication  between the local and central divisions of
this virtual "community".  This is not an accusatory tone, as my own
participation is severely hobbled (as much by ignorance of the issues as
time, I will admit) but rather a desparate plea to the lurkers for broader
participation that something might actually come forth to further the stated
goals of the MPWG

mjh

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