The science of succulents

For the discussion of topics related to the conservation, cultivation, propagation and exhibition of cacti & other succulents.
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RachelTurner
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by RachelTurner »

Wow! Thanks everyone! I knew I'd come to the right place to ask the experts, but I wasn't expecting so much - I'm going to be very busy over the next few days! :lol:
Colin Walker wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 4:44 pm Since you're studying Health Sciences rather than Natural Science, I strongly recommend a health slant so here are a few pointers:
- Certainly you must explain what succulents are and how they differ from all other plants.
- One of my own research interests is aloes, so you could certainly include Aloe vera since this is THE most famous succulent with medicinal uses and it's also the basis of a multi-billion dollar cosmetic and toiletry industry. There are centuries of history of its use as a herbal remedy.
- Other succulents also appear in the early printed herbals such as sedums, aeoniums, etc.
- Agaves are used for the production of various alcoholic beverages, notably Tequila.
- The cactus Lophophora williamsii is famous/infamous as the source of the psychoactive drug peyote. You could do a poster just on this plant alone.

How's that for starters?
Again, thanks for all the information. It hadn't occurred to me to do a health slant to it, but it makes perfect sense! The other option I was mulling over was health and housing, as I work in social housing and I'm currently trying to persuade my manager that we need to do more work in that area.

I'm actually a perpetual OU student, Colin. :lol: I did my first degree (psychology) with them over 20 years ago (and was warned at a summer school by an ex-student that the OU's very addictive :lol: ). I've since done a web design qualification with them, an ICT certificate, and a number of short courses, then decided a couple of years ago to do the health sciences degree (probably what I should have done originally, as I've always had a fascination with how the human body works (though from an early age apparently I wanted to know how things worked and used to take my toys apart to try and find out, and my poor dad had to then put them back together :lol: ).

I'm going to be busy with all this over the next few days. Thanks again for all the info. :smile:
Rachel

~~ (Very) novice succulent herder ~~
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by Colin Walker »

RachelTurner wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 5:15 pm Wow! Thanks everyone! I knew I'd come to the right place to ask the experts, but I wasn't expecting so much - I'm going to be very busy over the next few days! :lol:
Colin Walker wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 4:44 pm Since you're studying Health Sciences rather than Natural Science, I strongly recommend a health slant so here are a few pointers:
- Certainly you must explain what succulents are and how they differ from all other plants.
- One of my own research interests is aloes, so you could certainly include Aloe vera since this is THE most famous succulent with medicinal uses and it's also the basis of a multi-billion dollar cosmetic and toiletry industry. There are centuries of history of its use as a herbal remedy.
- Other succulents also appear in the early printed herbals such as sedums, aeoniums, etc.
- Agaves are used for the production of various alcoholic beverages, notably Tequila.
- The cactus Lophophora williamsii is famous/infamous as the source of the psychoactive drug peyote. You could do a poster just on this plant alone.

How's that for starters?
Again, thanks for all the information. It hadn't occurred to me to do a health slant to it, but it makes perfect sense! The other option I was mulling over was health and housing, as I work in social housing and I'm currently trying to persuade my manager that we need to do more work in that area.

I'm actually a perpetual OU student, Colin. :lol: I did my first degree (psychology) with them over 20 years ago (and was warned at a summer school by an ex-student that the OU's very addictive :lol: ). I've since done a web design qualification with them, an ICT certificate, and a number of short courses, then decided a couple of years ago to do the health sciences degree (probably what I should have done originally, as I've always had a fascination with how the human body works (though from an early age apparently I wanted to know how things worked and used to take my toys apart to try and find out, and my poor dad had to then put them back together :lol: ).

I'm going to be busy with all this over the next few days. Thanks again for all the info. :smile:
I used to know several guys in the Dept. of Psychology, but that was ages ago and now only have contact with biologists and earth scientists. I'm now currently in the School of Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences, although I started out in the Dept. of Biology. I have fond memories of many many summer schools. We worked damned hard but played hard too. :grin: :grin: :grin: A really great aspect was that you students were just so keen to learn.
Cheers,
Colin

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RachelTurner
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by RachelTurner »

Hi everyone,

As promised, the results of my endeavours...(as it's an image file and I think the forum software shrinks images slighty, you may have to zoom your page to make out the text)

Image

Had I more time (ideally I should have got my poster in on Thursday, but as I couldn't get any time off work last week, it was Friday before I submitted my poster) I would have put much more additional research in. I think my poster for next year's summer school will most probably be on the health and medicinal properties of cacti and succulents, which gives me a year to get some more research done! :lol:

Thanks again everyone for your input!

Rachel
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by stechad »

Nice work Rachel, (tu)
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by Colin Walker »

RachelTurner wrote: Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:35 am Hi everyone,

As promised, the results of my endeavours...(as it's an image file and I think the forum software shrinks images slighty, you may have to zoom your page to make out the text)

Image

Had I more time (ideally I should have got my poster in on Thursday, but as I couldn't get any time off work last week, it was Friday before I submitted my poster) I would have put much more additional research in. I think my poster for next year's summer school will most probably be on the health and medicinal properties of cacti and succulents, which gives me a year to get some more research done! :lol:

Thanks again everyone for your input!

Rachel
Well done Rachel, the poster has visual appeal and you've crammed in lots of info too. I was pleased to see you'd provided sources, although even with expansion I could barely read the text at the bottom. Thanks too for the acknowledge to us guys here. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Great also to see you're planning ahead for next year's poster. :grin: :grin: :grin:
Cheers,
Colin

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Re: The science of succulents

Post by ralphrmartin »

Well done. You've got a lot in, making it both informative, and visually attractive too! (tu)
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RachelTurner
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Re: The science of succulents

Post by RachelTurner »

It's much clearer on the PDF version, but I couldn't attach a PDF to my post. I didn't have any space for the references either, so I had to submit them on a Word document.

I'll have a think and see if I can figure out a way to post them.
Rachel

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Re: The science of succulents

Post by colser »

Nice work Rachel. A good read
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