Storax

Yes once again we see storax rising up as an issue actually these days it is called sweet gum and was used for centuries as an antiseptic and astringent for the conditioning of the

skin. When the bark is cut it exudes a sticky resin that is dried and used for different purposes from healing injuries and cure skin problems and

also taken as an effective cure for diarrhea and congestion from colds. (Ingested in a tea.)

The gum was not the only part of the tree that is used but also the leaves and flowers being crushed and boiled into a concoction and tincture that would increase in the production

of saliva and induce spitting or the need to spit.

It's surprising to me to find that it was considered offensive not to spit in many cultures, nearly all cultures in fact thought it to be offensive to swallow the spit rather than to release it

onto the ground or floor. Gross but true. Sweetgum/Storax flowers do not have petals on them and are round, woody and spiny looking.

The storax plant is used to make polystyrene plastics and polystyrenes of which I've mentioned earlier and we are surround by these days.

You know; non-biodegradable substances that need to be recycled?

I won't be surprised if it comes up again either because that's what it does.