plant-a-day:SilphiumSilphium, known also as laser or laserwort, is a (possibly) now extinct herb or
plant-a-day:SilphiumSilphium, known also as laser or laserwort, is a (possibly) now extinct herb or vegetable that was historically an important food, spice, and medicine, especially in the ancient North African city of Cyrene (the plant is depicted on a Cyrenian coin, above). It was used widely among ancient Mediterranean cultures, including the Romans, Egyptians, and Knossos Minoans.It has been proposed that Silphium was a sort of giant fennel, but from the Ferula genus.The symbol for love, a heart ♥, is possibly derived from the seeds of the Silphium plant, as it it most definitely not derived from an anatomically-correct human heart. Silphium was associated with love and desire, and legend has it, it was a gift from the god Apollo.Silphium purportedly had an array of medical applications: it was used for maladies of the throat, indigestion, as well as being a form of birth control and (perhaps) an abortifacient. It is unknown exactly what the taxonomic position of the plant would be, or even if it is indeed extinct, as it has not been identified since antiquity, and survives only in writings and graven images on ancient Cyrenian currency.What do you think Silphium was? ——- hyggehaven / biodiverseed -- source link
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