THE
ROSEMINT
BUSH |
The Rosemint is a common bush natural to the more temperate areas of Santharia. This plant comes by its name for the minty smelling leaves and beautiful flowers it produces. Rosemint is used not only for its very aromatic scent but also the fresh mint flavor it can bring to any food. The Rosemint is now very commonly found in many gardens throughout Santharia and is said to bring good luck.
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Appearance. The
Rosemint is a medium sized bush with very small leaves and amazing pale blue
flowers. The flowers of the Rosemint vary from a
whitish color with pale blue veins to a very decidedly bright sky blue; however,
it should not be confused with the deep blue common rose
which has recently been cultivated and is structurally a very different plant.
The leaves of the Rosemint are long, narrow and
pointed at the end. The under-side of the leaves is a pale green almost white
color and the top-side a very dark forest green.
The Rosemint is made up very like an ordinary
rosebush, with many stems and flowers. However,
Rosemints tend to have a much larger abundance of
leaves growing from every branch and stem and are void of any thorns. It is
believed by some that the Rosemint has such an
abundance in leaves because it is lacking in thorns. These leaves are about a
nailsbreadth long and half a nailsbreadth wide, tapering out to a point.
Hundreds of leaves cover every stem and branch of the Rosemint.
The actual part of the Rosemint's branches that
connects to the flowers are thin stems branching off from much thicker stems
that are connected to the rosemint's tree-like base. The thinner stems connect
to the rosehips, which hold all the actual bits of the flower together. Rosehips
are the round green underside of the flowers, containing the fruit and seeds of
the plant.
The flowers themselves are rather complicated structures. Before the rose blooms
its outside is made up of a covering of 5 leaf-like flaps that cover up the bud.
After this covering is a layer of five petals. If a rose contains any more than
five petals it is called a double flower. Double flowers are not natural and
have only come about just recently when purposely cultivated. Inside the petals
is the male part of the flower, made up of many long yellow stalks with large
round tops. When the flower is completely open, these stalks produce pollen from
inside their large top pieces. The pollen is then carried over to the female
part of the flower in the very center.
Territory.
Rosemint bushes can be found in many places, but will only naturally be seen in
temperate northern areas. Many people have been able to grow them in a variety
of other climatic conditions, but only with extra care can they be grown in any
environment un-natural to them. Rosemints have been found growing wild
throughout much of Santharia including
near the Vale of Brownies and throughout many forests such as the
Thaelon, the
Zeiphyrian Woods and the
Quallian. Rosemint bushes have also been
found throughout the Sharadon Forests;
however, they may have been aided in growth by the
Maeverhim elf tribe living there as
this tribe is known for cultivating many plants that would not normally be found
in the Sharadon Forests.
Usages.
The leaves of the Rosemint are used to make scented oils and seasonings for
food. The oils can be used for perfumes as well as medicine. Rosemint leaves
e.g. are often added to various foods such as meats, especially fish and poultry
and in many breads. If the leaves are brewed, they can be used for a very minty
tea that has been known to help a sore throat.
The rosehips can be used to make a delicately flavored jam or are made into
candies. Rosehips can also be eaten raw as a fruit.
The flower petals of the Rosemint have been used in salads, but this use has
gone out of common practice. Because the flowers themselves do smell very sweet
and delicate, they are made into oils or potpourris. These oils are used in
perfumes, soap and various other things.
Reproduction.
Inside the petals of the flower are the male parts called stalks. The top of
each stalk produces pollen, which is released when the flower is in full bloom.
This pollen is then carried, either by the wind or by insects such as
malise, to the female part of the flower which is also
a stalk, but much larger with a round bulb at the bottom. This bulb is actually
contained within the rosehips of the flower. Inside the bulb is the makings of a
seed. After the pollen is transferred over to the female parts of the flower it
fertilizes the bulb which then grows to become a seed. The seed can then be
transferred into the ground after the flower has died and is dried by
the sun. A seed can be transferred to the
ground either naturally by falling from the plant onto the ground and eventually
being covered over by the earth with time and weather or by being removed and
planted into the earth.
Myth/Lore. Rosemint
is largely thought of as a symbol for constancy and remembrance and is used at
many funerals, either to be carried or put in wreaths. It is thought that
Rosemint was used so often at funerals for its pungent scent, which was very
helpful in hiding the unpleasant smell of death. Sprigs of Rosemint are often
burned as a sacrifice to the Goddess Queprur.
Rosemint has also been used in weddings, placed in bridal wreaths and handed out
to wedding guests, so that the happy occasion could always be remembered.
Another belief is that Rosemint will ward off nightmares when placed under one's
pillow or bed.
Information provided by
Amuwen
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