PSWB Portraiture

Monday, April 11, 2016

The Playwright Eliza Bent at The Underground Theater, Abrons Art Center, 2016

outtake

Playwright Eliza Bent at The Underground Theater, Abrons Art Center, 2016

Toilet Fire
By Eliza Bent. Directed by Kevin Laibson. With Bent, Alaina Ferris. Running time: 1hr 15mins.

"The gourds forgive us our friend food and lactose indiscretions as we forgive those who fart in our presence."

Thursday, April 7, 2016

North Boundary Wilderness Trail, Canada 2004

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Fly Poison (Amianthium muscitoxicum), The Shenandoah Valley , 1996

Amianthium muscitoxicum

Amianthium muscitoxicum (Walter) A. Gray

Fly poison, Crow poison

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Synonym(s): Chrosperma muscitoxicum, Zigadenus muscitoxicus

USDA Symbol: AMMU

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The numerous narrow, elongated leaves and the 12-24 in. flower stalk superficially resemble common hyacinth. Flowers, occuring in a dense, showy raceme are first white, then bronzy-green. Leaves tend to spread outward and arch downward.

Pulp from a crushed bulb, mixed with sugar, is used to poison flies, hence the species name, from the Latin muscae (flies) and toxicum (poison). Bunchflower (Veratrum virginicum) has a somewhat similar white flower; its three petals and three sepals have narrow, stalk-like bases with two dark glands on each; there are several spikes in a cluster.

Native Cherokee used the plant as a dermatological cure for itch, colonists used the bulb mixed with sugar to kill flies.