Flowering plants (angiosperms) comprise about 90 percent of the Kingdom Plantae. The total number of described species exceeds 230,000, and many tropical species are as yet unnamed. During the past 130 million years, flowering plants have colonized practically every conceivable habitat on earth, from sun-baked deserts and windswept alpine summits to fertile grasslands, freshwater marshes, dense forests and lush mountain meadows. Although a number of flowering plants live in aquatic habitats and have adapted to the saline conditions of dry lake beds and salt marshes, relatively few species live submersed in the oceans.
True marine angiosperms are found throughout the oceans of the world, although most species are distributed in tropical regions. They are sometimes referred to as "seagrasses" and include about 50 species in 12 genera. Virtually all flowering plants produce some type of functional floral organ, although in some families such as the Lemnaceae, the flowers are microscopic and are seldom seen by the casual observer. Certain grasses and specialized cultivars apparently do not produce flowers, although they may still have rudimentary flowers (vestigial floral parts).
Herbal medicine has come a long way since pioneer days, and we now have institutes of phytotherapy (phyto means plant) or herbal medicine. In Europe, a great deal of research is being done every day and there are many institutes of phytotherapy. The institute which I belong to, the National Institute of Medical Herbalists of Great Britain, was established in 1864, and it is the oldest association of practicing herbalists in existence today. It operates the School of Herbal Medicine in Sussex which conducts a four year course and includes the study of the traditional medical subjects such as pathology, physiology, anatomy and biochemistry.
Many of us are under stress and stress affects the body in many ways. We live in sealed buildings with no fresh air and we need to find ways of relieving the nervous system from the effects of this stress. Many of us suffer from lung problems. We suffer from problems caused by drinking water which has been polluted by steel mills and other industries. We get all sorts of pollution in our food as well. Chemicals enter our body which did not even exist before the 1940's. We put fungicides and pesticides on our soil and have very little control over what we are eating unless we are very careful and grow our own produce organically. What happens when our liver has to deal with these man made chemicals? Our liver is the same organ we had as primitive man and there is no evidence that the liver is able to handle man-made molecules. As a result, we have invented new diseases.
flowers
Dropshipper | spyware remover | Unique Handmade Jewelry | Womens Nike Shoes | Home School
Need Free Backlinks?
