Ferula
Encyclopedia
Ferula is a genus
of about 170 species
of flowering plant
s in the family Apiaceae
, native to the Mediterranean region east to central Asia
, mostly growing in arid climates. They are herbaceous
perennial plant
s growing to 1–4 m tall, with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems. The leaves
are tripinnate or even more finely divided, with a stout basal sheath clasping the stem. The flower
s are yellow, produced in large umbel
s. Many plants of this genus, especially F. communis are referred to as "giant fennel," although they are not fennel
in the strict sense.
my resin
of many species of Ferula is used for medical or culinary purposes:
The Romans called the hollow light rod made from this plant a ferula (compare also fasces
, judicial birches). Such rods were used for walking sticks, splint
s, for stirring boiling liquids, and for corporal punishment
.
The ferula also shows up in myth
ological contexts. The main shaft of a thyrsus
was traditionally made from this plant, and Prometheus
smuggled fire to humanity by hiding it in a ferula as well.
Feruia foetida has showen remarkable antioxidant
and antihemolytic activities.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 170 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family Apiaceae
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
, native to the Mediterranean region east to central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, mostly growing in arid climates. They are herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
s growing to 1–4 m tall, with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are tripinnate or even more finely divided, with a stout basal sheath clasping the stem. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are yellow, produced in large umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
s. Many plants of this genus, especially F. communis are referred to as "giant fennel," although they are not fennel
Fennel
Fennel is a plant species in the genus Foeniculum . It is a member of the family Apiaceae . It is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves...
in the strict sense.
Selected species
- Ferula assafoetida - AsafoetidaAsafoetidaAsafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
- Ferula caspica
- Ferula communisFerula communisFerula communis is a species of the Apiaceae genus Ferula. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus ....
- Giant fennel - Ferula conocaula
- Ferula diversivittata
- Ferula foetida
- Ferula gummosa, syn. galbaniflua - GalbanumGalbanumGalbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species, chiefly Ferula gummosa and Ferula rubricaulis. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran...
- Ferula hermonis
- Ferula karelinii
- Ferula linkii
- Ferula longifolia
- Ferula marmarica
- Ferula moschata, syn. sumbul - MuskrootMuskrootSumbul, also called sumbal or muskroot, is a drug occasionally employed in European medical practice. It consists of the root of Ferula sumbul, a tall umbelliferous plant found in the north of Bokhara in present day Uzbekistan, its range apparently extending beyond the Amur.It was first brought to...
- Ferula narthex - Ferula
- Ferula orientalis
- Ferula persica
- Ferula schair
- Ferula szowitziana
- Ferula tingitanaFerula tingitanaFerula tingitana is a species of the Apiaceae genus Ferula. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus .Ferula tingitana is a tall perennial herb...
- The Roman spice laser or laserpiciumSilphiumSilphium was a plant that was used in classical antiquity as a rich seasoning and as a medicine. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene, and was so critical to the Cyrenian economy that most of their coins bore a picture of the plant...
probably came from a species of Ferula, either an extinct one or Ferula tingitanaFerula tingitanaFerula tingitana is a species of the Apiaceae genus Ferula. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus .Ferula tingitana is a tall perennial herb...
, though other identities have been suggested.
Uses
The gumNatural gum
Natural gums are polysaccharides of natural origin, capable of causing a large viscosity increase in solution, even at small concentrations. In the food industry they are used as thickening agents, gelling agents, emulsifying agents, and stabilizers...
my resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
of many species of Ferula is used for medical or culinary purposes:
- Ferula assafoetida is used to make the spice asafoetidaAsafoetidaAsafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
, or hing - Ferula gummosa makes galbanumGalbanumGalbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species, chiefly Ferula gummosa and Ferula rubricaulis. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran...
- Ferula persica makes sagapenum
- Ferula moschata makes sumbulMuskrootSumbul, also called sumbal or muskroot, is a drug occasionally employed in European medical practice. It consists of the root of Ferula sumbul, a tall umbelliferous plant found in the north of Bokhara in present day Uzbekistan, its range apparently extending beyond the Amur.It was first brought to...
- Ferula tingitana makes "African ammoniacumAmmoniacumAmmoniacum, or gum ammoniac , is a gum-resin exuded from the stem of a perennial herb , natural order Umbelliferae. The plant grows to the height of 8 or 9 ft., and its whole stem is pervaded with a milky juice, which oozes out on an incision being made at any part...
" - Silphium was used to make laserpiciumSilphiumSilphium was a plant that was used in classical antiquity as a rich seasoning and as a medicine. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene, and was so critical to the Cyrenian economy that most of their coins bore a picture of the plant...
The Romans called the hollow light rod made from this plant a ferula (compare also fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
, judicial birches). Such rods were used for walking sticks, splint
Splint
Splint may refer to:* Splint , a medical device for the immobilization of limbs or spine* Splint , a device for checking computer programs...
s, for stirring boiling liquids, and for corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
.
The ferula also shows up in myth
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
ological contexts. The main shaft of a thyrsus
Thyrsus
In Greek mythology, a thyrsus or thyrsos was a staff of giant fennel covered with ivy vines and leaves, sometimes wound with taeniae and always topped with a pine cone. These staffs were carried by Dionysus and his followers. Euripides wrote that honey dripped from the thyrsos staves that the...
was traditionally made from this plant, and Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
smuggled fire to humanity by hiding it in a ferula as well.
Feruia foetida has showen remarkable antioxidant
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
and antihemolytic activities.