Traditional Medicinal Plants of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John: A Selection

About this book

In the recent past in the U.S. Virgin Islands men and women relied on the available flora for everyday remedies for health ailments. There was a plant to strengthen the immune system and others to heal a rash still others to cast away evil spirits. Indeed recognizing and understanding the many uses of the plants in the environment was once critical for their everyday survival. Today such knowledge is just as critical for the survival of our culture as the older people pass away taking with them the secrets of bush medicine. This book breaks new grounds as the University of the Virgin Islands focused on documenting the historical and cultural use of medicinal plants in the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are 68 plants covered with drawings descriptions and their traditional uses.