Native Plants
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Wednesday - December 03, 2008
From: Sarasota, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Medicinal Plants
Title: Tilo (Justicia pectoralis), a tropical American plant
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Re: keelo plant (Seminole, Fl. herb used to treat stomachache-St. Pete), try Tilo: Justicia pectoralisANSWER:
Thank you for this information. This does look like what the person in a previous question was asking about. Justicia pectoralis (tilo, piri piri or freshcut) is native to tropical America (occurring in Florida in the United States). It has been used medicinally for many ailments, but I could find only one reference to it being used for stomach problems and that was in Panama. It was traditionally added to mind-altering snuffs for its vanilla-like flavoring. The tilo itself apparently has no hallucenogenic effects, but is used only as a flavoring.
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