''Asphodelus aestivus'', the summer asphodel, is a species of asphodel, a common Western Mediterranean

geophyte A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...

with a short vertical rhizome and basal leaves. Its flowers are

actinomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spirall ...

, pinkish-white, with six perianth segments, 14–19 mm long and six stamens of the same length, in two whorls. Its distribution is limited to the Western Mediterranean, mainly found in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

on the European mainland. There has been a lot of confusion over the nomenclature and taxonomy of the species, owing to its similarity to ''

Asphodelus ramosus ''Asphodelus ramosus'', the branched asphodel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the order Asparagales. Similar in appearance to ''Asphodelus albus'' and particularly '' Asphodelus cerasiferus'' and '' Asphodelus aestivus'', it may be distingui ...

''. It grows in dry grasslands, phrygana and on rocky or sandy ground.

Physical characteristics

The ''Asphodelus aestivus'' is a

, having an underground storage organ which enables the plant to survive adverse conditions, such as excessive heat and drought. Its leaves, growing to a height of –, contain alkaloids that are harmful to sheep and goats in the wet, winter months, but during the summer when their leaves dry out, they lose their toxicity.Avi Shmida, ''MAPA's Dictionary of Plants and Flowers in Israel'', Tel-Aviv 2005, s.v. ''Asphodelus aestivus'' (p. 77) (Hebrew) In the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

it flowers from June to September, although in the

Algarve The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...

(SW Portugal) it may flower in May or at the end of April. There, the leaves are already withered by the time the plants flower.

Uses

Some traditional folk usages of the plant (could refer to several species of Asphodelus) have been to make a glue from the plant's root. ''Serish'' is the name for the adhesive made from the root and used in Persian & Iranian papermaking and bookbinding, in particular as a surface size and to laminate paper together for the boards of Persian lacquer bindings. A remedy against warts is also derived from its root. According to

Dioscorides Pedanius Dioscorides (, ; 40–90 AD), "the father of pharmacognosy", was a Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author of (in the original , , both meaning "On Materia medica, Medical Material") , a 5-volume Greek encyclopedic phar ...

, a concoction made from its roots (mixed with wine) induces vomiting.Dioscorides, ''

De Materia Medica (Latin name for the Greek work , , both meaning "On Medical Material") is a pharmacopoeia of medicinal plants and the medicines that can be obtained from them. The five-volume work was written between 50 and 70 CE by Pedanius Dioscorides, ...

'' (Book II, § 199). Formerly, the entire plant was used in treating poisonous snake bites (its efficacy yet to be proven scientifically).

Gallery

File:Asphodelus aestivus--.jpg, The flower of the Asphodelus aestivus

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q8207195 aestivus Plants described in 1804 Flora of Portugal Flora of Spain