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  • From: "Steve T" <stracy@jps.net>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Amazing Shoe plant
  • Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:48:04 -0800

Anyone know anything more about this plant?

AmAZinG SHOe PLAnt
Muse, Nov/Dec 2006
The Patagonian shoe plant, Lactuca durus, is related to lettuce, but it's a
bit tougher. So tough, in fact, that natives of
Patagonia, Chile, make their shoes from the leaves. Now a company in Belgium
has produced a genetically modified version of the shoe
plant. Its leaves are even tougher than the original, totally waterproof, and
very regular in shape and size.They make an ideal
roofing material, either bonded into large sheets or simply nailed on like
conventional shingles.The same company is experimenting
with a type of alga that grows in mats several inches thick.They hope to
modify the alga to produce an insulating material.Together
the two plants would provide a totally organic roofing solution.

Too bad about about the genetic modifications!! Not really "organic"!!





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