211 MANDRAGORA (1/2)
After their Mystozoology with Teacher Wei, the subject that followed after it the next day is the Phytomysticology.
The class was expecting that Teacher Zhuo will introduce them to the Banian Tree. Which they have already encountered yesterday in the underground chamber during their Mystozoology class.
But apparently, Teacher Zhuo was planning to discuss an entirely different thing. Their lesson for today will be all about the MANDRAGORA.
”This is how a Mandragora plant looks like.”
As she said that, Teacher Zhuo wave her wand and conjure something like a hologram. After the shimmering golden dust subsided, a weird looking plant appeared before them.
Rather than calling it a plant, it looks more like a root crop. What makes it look weirder is its structure.
Its leaves look like long hair standing up on its end. While the root itself has the shape of a human.
”Mandragora belongs to the same family of nightshade plants. Like many members of the Solanaceae species, Mandragora contain highly biologically active alkaloids that make the plants poisonous if administered in the wrong dosage”
Teacher Zhuo began her lecture and the class listened to her attentively. Some were even busy jotting down notes.
It was not because they were studious or what so ever. It is just that they have come in terms of Teacher Zhuo's teaching strategy.
It won't come as a surprise to them anymore if she will give them a short quiz after their discussion. So to ensure that they could gather information as much as they could, the class preferred to take down important notes.
The mandragora plant that Teacher Zhuo was discussing to them has a distinctive feature so it is not hard for them to memorize it.
If Mu Lingxi will going to think of Mandragora's counterpart in her previous life, it has the same effects as narcotics and hallucinogens.
”The first-ever Mandragora plant was believed to grow under the nourishment of the blood and fats spilled from a man hanged in a tree.”
Teacher Zhuo voice's resounded inside the classroom as she continued her lecture.
”MEOW”
[Eww.. that was gross...]
Since Janus was inside Mu Lingxi's storage ring, he can clearly hear the discussion outside.
”Tss... There were lots of mystical plants that are far more gross than that. There was even a certain plant that use to grow straight from the decaying body of a man.”
Guinevere commented and from the was she say it, it was like she was looking down on Janus naivety.
Just like Janus, Guinevere, the baby snow dragon was also staying inside Mu Lingxi's storage ring.
Mu Lingxi even wondered before about how long could her storage ring could last with the two of the most troublesome creatures sharing the same space inside of it.
The Phytomysticology class went on without a delay. Teacher Zhuo went on a thorough description of Mandragora's physical appearance first before getting deeper into it.
According to Teacher Zhuo's lecture, the Mandragora plant has large taproots and leaves in the form of a rosette when it was still underdeveloped. But once the plant matures and was ready for harvest, its leaves will grow and will look like human hair.
Aside from that it also has individual flowers that are shaped like a bell. Its color ranges from whitish to violet and is followed by yellow or orange berries.
Likewise, this mystical plants also comes with different sexes and human shape roots. It was said that the root that resembled certain body parts could be used to treat ailments of those specific body parts.
As a plant with the shape of a human body, the Mandragora was believed to exercise control over the body. It could either induce love or conception, or it could even bring good fortune, wealth and power.
For example, a Mandragora root, shaped like a baby and slipped underneath one's pillow every night, could help a woman conceive.
On the other hand, one that is shaped like a woman and carried in one's pocket could help a man secure his desired lover.