Asphodel
The asphodels are hardy perennials Monocotylédone S, pertaining to the family of the Liliacée S (1) and to the kind Asphodelus . The majority of the species push around the Mediterranean basin and have a predilection for the grounds Calcaire S. to note an alpine species however, A. albus (and its subspecies A. delphinensis ), as well as a species pushing at the same time on the coasts of Brittany and Galicia, A. arrondeaui (white stick of Arrondeau).
In the Antiquity, the asphodels were often used to flower fall it from deaths, from where the legend of the Pré of the Asphodel, place of the Enfers in the Greek Mythologie.
(1): phylogenetic classification places at present this kind in the family of the Asphodelaceae , classification which was already that of Jussieu, and in the order of Asparagales. Since 2003 (APG II), she proposes, in an optional way, to include it in the family of the Xanthorrhoeaceae s.l.
Description
The foliage of the asphodels is appeared as a rivet washer of radical, narrow and linear sheets, at pointed end. From this rivet washer emerges a naked stem carrying a floral pole more or less ramified according to the species. The flowers are grouped in bunches flowering of bottom to the top (one finds on the same bunch the fruits in bottom, the flowers opened out in the center and the “buttons” in top). They are made of six tepals (three sepals and three petals having the same form and the same color). They are in general white, each tepal carrying a pink or brown central scratch. Six long cheesecloths, to white net, carry anthères oranges or brown. The fruits are round, green capsules or brown-orange, resembling small cherries. The root, tuberose, are edible.
Principal species
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Asphodelus albus : white Asphodel. Synonyms, subspecies or species close: A. delphinensis , A. macrocarpus , A. sphaerocarpus . Not ramified floral pole, flowers in very tight bunch.
- Asphodelus arrondeaui : white stick of Arrondeau. Generally regarded as a subspecies of A. albus , is characterized some especially by its geographical distribution (Brittany, the North-West of Spain).
- Asphodelus cerasiferus : asphodel carry-cherries, asphodel cherry. Mediterranean species. Slightly ramified floral pole. Characteristic by its fruits globulous, larger than in the other species. Flowers many but less tight than those of the white asphodel.
- Asphodelus fistulosus : sinus asphodel. Mediterranean species. Narrow stem and digs (the other species have a solid drill-rod). The flowers are very spaced, forming a loose bunch. Fruits very large brown-red compared to the stem.
- Asphodelus ramosus : Asphodel ramified. Mediterranean species. Often regarded as synonym of A. cerasiferus , it is characterized some by a floral pole more ramified at the base and by smaller fruits.
See too
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the Pre of the Asphodel, place of the Hells in the Greek Mythology.