Narthecium ossifragum

Narthecium ossifragum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Dioscoreales
Family: Nartheciaceae
Genus: Narthecium
Species: N. ossifragum
Binomial name
Narthecium ossifragum
(L.) Huds.

Narthecium ossifragum, commonly known as bog asphodel,[1] Lancashire asphodel or bastard asphodel, is a plant of Western Europe, found on wet, boggy moorlands up to about 1000 m in elevation. It produces spikes of bright yellow flowers in summer. The bright orange fruits have been used as a colourant to replace saffron by Shetland Islanders.[2] Despite the plant's English name, it is not particularly closely related to the true asphodels.

The Latin specific name means "bone-breaker", and refers to a traditional belief that eating the plant caused sheep to develop brittle bones. The probable origin of this story is that sheep eating a calcium-poor diet are likely to develop bone weakness, and N. ossifragum favours acidic low-calcium soils.[2]

The plant causes a disease of sheep called alveld, "elf fire", in Norway. Not all stands of the plant are toxic, and the toxicity may be the side effect of the plant's response to a fungal infection.[3][4][5]

It can be found in purple moor grass and rush pastures.

It is tufted, hairless perennial. The leaves are narrow.[6]

Gallery

Illustrations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Narthecium ossifragum.

References

  1. ↑ "BSBI List 2007" (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Richard Mabey Flora Britannica
  3. ↑ Handbook of Plant and Fungal Toxicants by J. P. Felix D'Mello
  4. ↑ George B. B. Mitchell, 'Non-parasitic skin diseases of sheep' In Pract., Vol. 10, Issue 2, 69-73, March 1, 1988
  5. ↑ Arne Flåøyen, 'Studies on the aetiology and pathology of alveld'
  6. ↑ Sterry, Paul (2006). Complete British wild flowers. London: Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-720469-4.