Asphodelus

Asphodelus is a genus of mainly perennial plants native to western, central and southern Europe, but now spread worldwide. 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 1½ to 2 ft. high; A. ramosus is a larger plant, the large white flowers of which have a reddish-brown line in the middle of each segment. Bog-asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), a member of the same family, is a small herb common in boggy places in Britain, with rigid narrow radical leaves and a stem bearing a raceme of small golden yellow flowers.

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.

History

In Greek legend the asphodel is the one of the most famous of the plants connected with the dead and the underworld. Homer describes it as covering the great meadow (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 poisonous 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.

Etymology

The word is a loanword from Greek. Its original version is "ἀσφόδελος".^[1] The English word “daffodil” is a perversion of “asphodel,” formerly written “affodil.” The d may come from the French fleur d'affodille. It is no part of the word philologically.

Species

Asphodelus ramosus

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• Asphodelus acaulis Branched asphodel,
• Asphodelus aestivus Summer asphodel, also known as Common asphodel and Silver rod
• Asphodelus albus White asphodel, also known as Rimmed lichen,
• Asphodelus ayardii
• Asphodelus bento-rainhae
• Asphodelus cerasiferus
• Asphodelus chambeironi
• Asphodelus damascene
• Asphodelus gracilis
• Asphodelus fistulosus Onion-leaved asphodel, also known as Onionweed,
• Asphodelus lusitanicus
• Asphodelus luteus (basionym) syn. Asphodeline lutea Rchb.,yellow asphodel,
• Asphodelus microcarpus (syn. of A. aestivus)
• Asphodelus ramosus Branched asphodel
• Asphodelus refractus
• Asphodelus roseus
• Asphodelus serotinus
• Asphodelus tenuifolius
• Asphodelus viscidulus

Notes

References

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Asphodel". Encyclopædia Britannica (Eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.