Asphodelus Explained

Asphodelus is a genus of mainly perennial flowering plants in the asphodel family Asphodelaceae[1] that was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The genus was formerly included in the lily family (Liliaceae).[2] The genus is native to temperate Europe (mostly the south of Europe),[3] the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent, and some species have been introduced to, and are now naturalized in, other places such as New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and southwestern United States.[4] [5] Many asphodels are popular garden plants, which grow in well-drained soils with abundant natural light.

Character

The plants are hardy herbaceous perennials with narrow tufted radical leaves and an elongated stem bearing a handsome spike of white or yellow flowers. Asphodelus albus and A. fistulosus have white flowers and grow from NaNto(-) high; A. ramosus is a larger plant, the large white flowers of which have a reddish-brown line in the middle of each segment.

Etymology

The genus name is derived from the Greek ἀσφόδελος asphodelos.[6]

Species

There are 16 species in the genus.[7]

Species[4]
  1. Asphodelus acaulis Desf. – Branched asphodel – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
  2. Asphodelus aestivus Brot. – Summer asphodel, also known as Common asphodel and Silver rod – Western Mediterranean (mainly Portugal and Spain)
  3. Asphodelus albus Mill. – White asphodel, also known as Rimmed lichen – Mediterranean
  4. Asphodelus ayardii Jahand. & Maire – France, Spain, Italy, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Canary Islands
  5. Asphodelus bakeri Breistr. – Western Himalayas of northern India, northern Pakistan, etc.
  6. Asphodelus bento-rainhae P.Silva – Spain, Portugal
  7. Asphodelus cerasiferus J.Gay – France, Spain, Sardinia, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
  8. Asphodelus fistulosus L. – Onion-leaved asphodel, also known as Onionweed – Mediterranean (naturalized in New Zealand, Mexico, southwestern United States, etc.)
  9. Asphodelus gracilis Braun-Blanq. & Maire – Morocco
  10. Asphodelus lusitanicus Cout. – Spain, Portugal
  11. Asphodelus macrocarpus Parl. – Mediterranean
  12. Asphodelus ramosus L. – Branched asphodel – southern Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and Canary Islands
  13. Asphodelus refractus Boiss. – North Africa and Arabian Peninsula from Mauritania & Morocco to Saudi Arabia
  14. Asphodelus roseus Humbert & Maire – Spain, Morocco
  15. Asphodelus serotinus Wolley-Dod – Spain, Portugal
  16. Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. – Southeast Europe and northern Africa from the Mediterranean south to Mali, Chad, Sudan, Somalia; south-central Asia from Caucasus to India
  17. Asphodelus viscidulus Boiss. – North Africa, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula
Formerly included

Uses

The leaves are used to wrap burrata, an Italian cheese. The leaves and the cheese last about the same time, three or four days, and thus fresh leaves are a sign of a fresh cheese, while dried out leaves indicate that the cheese is past its prime.[8]

Mythology

See also: Asphodel Meadows. In Greek legend the asphodel is one of the most famous of the plants connected with the dead and the underworld. Homer describes it as covering the great meadow (Greek, Modern (1453-);: {{GreekFont|ἀσφόδελος λειμών), the haunt of the dead. It was planted on graves, and is often connected with Persephone, who appears crowned with a garland of asphodels. Its general connection with death is due no doubt to the greyish colour of its leaves and its yellowish flowers, which suggest the gloom of the underworld and the pallor of death. The roots were eaten by the poorer Greeks; hence such food was thought good enough for the shades. The asphodel was also supposed to be a remedy for venomous snake-bites and a specific against sorcery; it was fatal to mice, but preserved pigs from disease. The Libyan nomads made their huts of asphodel stalks.[9]

Poetry

The asphodel is mentioned by several poets in connection with the mythology of death, and by association, the afterlife - specifically the Isles of the Blessed and Elysium - part of the ancient Greek concept of the afterlife.

References

Notes and References

  1. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group . 2016 . An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society . 181 . 1 . 1–20 . 10.1111/boj.12385 . free .
  2. Bailey, L.H. & E.Z. Bailey. 1976. Hortus Third i–xiv, 1–1290. MacMillan, New York.
  3. Web site: asphodel . 11 July 2024 . Oxford English Dictionary .
  4. https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Asphodelus Kew Plants of the World Online
  5. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/floraspecie.php?genere=Asphodelus Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Asphodelus
  6. .
  7. 10.1080/00173139609430497. Pollen morphology ofAsphodelusL. (Asphodelaceae): Taxonomic and phylogenetic inferences at the infrageneric level. Grana. 35. 24–32. 1996. Lifante. Z. Díaz. 1 . 1996Grana..35...24L .
  8. News: The Independent. 2 March 2011. Burrata: Britain's new Big cheese. 7 September 2013. Roberts. Genevieve.
  9. Book: Herodotus . The Histories . 2015 . Penguin Books . 978-0-14-310754-5 . Book 4 paragraph 190 . English.
  10. Hes.Works and Days.40-41.
  11. The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagels
  12. Book: Shorter Oxford English dictionary, 6th ed.. 2007. Oxford University Press. United Kingdom. 978-0199206872. 3804.