In a message dated 4/4/01 4:15:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<< they stained my fingers dark blue for a couple of days. Any idea what they
 might be?
 I need to get a book about our local plants...there are so many things around
 here that go uneaten that are probably extremely healthy and tasty.
  >>

Mary:
No, I don't know what they might be, because there is such an enormous
variety of native species (or they might be non-native). This is the field of
ethnobotany -- that is the study of native uses of plants. It is a
fascinating and highly complex field, and requires considerable study. Native
peoples in my area used over 600 different plants - I can identify about a
dozen!

Your local university, or natural history museum, would be good souce of
information on this if you want to get into this subject. The use and
benefits of wild plants is becoming more recognized -- there are restaurants
in France now that use wild plants, and there are websites.

Charles
San Diego, CA