Asphodelus aestivus
| Summer asphodel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Xanthorrhoeaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
| Genus: | Asphodelus |
| Species: | A. aestivus |
| Binomial name | |
| Asphodelus aestivus Brot. | |
Aspohodelus aestivus, the summer asphodel, is a species of asphodel that can be found in southern Europe, from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Israel. It grows in dry grasslands and on rocky or sandy ground.[1] In the Levant, it blossoms after the winter rains, from December to March.
Plant properties
The succulent leaves of the asphodel are poisonous unto sheep, but in the hot summer months when the leaves become dry, they lose their poisonous potency. Ethnographically, the root of the asphodel is used in some countries to make glue, as well as used as a remedy for the removal of warts.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thacker, H. (2014). "Asphodelus aestivus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ↑ Avi Shmida, MAPA's Dictionary of Plants and Flowers in Israel, Tel-Aviv 2005, p. 77 (Hebrew)