Piper methysticum (root)

Nomenclature

Piper methysticum G. Forst.   Piperaceae  
Standardized common name (English): kava

Introduction

Introduction from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_methysticum, retrieved 02/27/2012).

Kava or kava-kava (Piper methysticum) (Piper: Latin for 'pepper', methysticum: (Latinized) Greek for 'intoxicating') is a crop of the western Pacific.

The name kava(-kava) is from Tongan and Marquesan; other names for kava include ʻawa (Hawaiʻi), 'ava (Samoa), yaqona (Fiji), and sakau (Pohnpei).

The roots of the plant are used to produce a drink with sedative and anesthetic properties. Kava is consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia including Hawaii, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia.

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Microscopic Entries

Abundant large starch granules simple, 2 or 3 compound when observed at 400x with EtOH + glycerin + IKI + chloral hydrate.cellular structures identified in this botanical specimen are the abundant large starch granules simple, 2 or 3 compound when observed at 400x with EtOH + glycerin + IKI + chloral hydrate and the parenchyma containing reddish brown oleo-resin when observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories