In The Name Of Science

Day 127: Dr. Brodo says of Variolaria amara (formerly Pertusaria amara), "A single sorediate bit, when chewed and allowed to remain in the mouth for a few seconds, produces a very bitter taste that lasts a lot longer than one would like. Fortunately, the substance is not poisonous!" and since I was only 95% certain of my identification, I decided to do a qualitative test. I went prepared with means of mitigating the expected reaction, and can report that while ginger mints knock it out for 10-15 minutes at a time, the taste returns to haunt you several times before finally diminishing. On the other hand, peppermints made with artificial sweetener only serve to augment the bitterness. It is not noticeable at first, but after you have chewed and expectorated the "single sorediate bit," an acrid taste develops, building in intensity over a minute or so. At least in my trial, some numbing of the tip of the tongue was also experienced. Ah, the things we do in the name of science!