Eryngium maritimum
| Sea holly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Botanical illustration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Eryngium |
| Species: | E. maritimum |
| Binomial name | |
| Eryngium maritimum | |
Eryngium maritimum, the sea holly or seaside eryngo, is a species of Eryngium in the plant family Apiaceae and native to most European coastlines. It resembles a plume thistle in that its flower is burr-shaped, but the flowers are metallic blue rather than mauve. Protected from winds this dune plant grows to a height of 20 to 60 cm. Although widespread, it is considered endangered in many areas, such as Germany where its occurrence has been greatly reduced throughout and has become locally extinct in several districts.
In Elizabethan times in England, these plants were believed to be a strong aphrodisiac. They are named in a speech by Falstaff:
| “ | "Let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green-sleeves, hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes [sea-holly], let there come a tempest of provocation..." |
” |
| — Falstaff, Act 5, scene v, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", William Shakespeare | ||
Sea holly was nominated the 2002 County flower for the city of Liverpool.
Gallery
On the shore of the Mediterranean Sea near the mouth of Dalyan River, Turkey
Whole plant, Meia Praia beach, Lagos, Portugal
Flowers, Meia Praia beach, Lagos, Portugal
In Rewa, Poland.jpg)
Close-up of flower
MHNT botanical specimen
In Aggelohori, Greece
References
This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eryngium maritimum. |
