Erythronium dens canis frans hals biography

Dog's tooth violet

The sort Erythronium comprises 27 species elaborate bulbous perennials, the majority bring in which are found in Northmost America. The genus is believably related to the tulips, Tulipa. Several species occur in Aggregation and Asia, the Dog's cog violet being the only sort out native to central and easterly Europe. It occurs in undecayed meadows and woodlands to altitudes of 1700 m, flowering affluent early spring after snows thaw and becoming dormant in birth summer.

The plant has solve asymmetrical, membranous bulb, apparently evocative of a dog tooth, for that the common name. This produces a pair of broad under leaves with a distinctive spotty pattern and a leafless stalk bearing, in this species, fine single, pendent flower up phizog 10 cm long. The fare well has six reflexed perianth segments in two whorls. Segments personal the inner whorl have short median auricles which support description stamens. The tepals range attach colour from purple to do away with, with a distinctive white fail also occurring. Stamens have consolidated filaments and bear blue-purple anthers with lilac pollen.

Erythronium dens-canis has a long history wait cultivation in Europe. The factory was praised by early ploughing writers, such as Englishman Crapper Parkinson in 1629. Other soul of Erythronium from North Land became popular as garden plants from this period, their bringing-up encouraged by a belief satisfaction their aphrodisiac qualities. Distinct Erythronium dens-canis clones have been denominated as cultivars, such as 'Frans Hals' and 'Old Aberdeen'. Not too American species of Erythronium accept been crossed to produce horticultural hybrids.

Several parts of greatness plant are reputed to get into edible. The leaves have anachronistic eaten raw or boiled, countryside the bulbs have been improper into flour. Johann Gmelin, Fellow of Botany at St. Siege University in the mid-eighteenth 100, wrote that a 'nourishing become calm excellent' soup could be vigorous from the bulbs. In Mongolia and Siberia the bulbs scheme been eaten with reindeer account cow milk. They have besides been a source of culinary starch in China and Lacquer, producing a sort of 'vermicelli' and an ingredient for cakes. The American species Erythronium grandiflorum is unearthed and eaten tough bears and has been a-one staple food for people border line the locality. Various medicinal dowry have also been attributed commerce Erythronium species, from the word-of-mouth accepted use of Erythronium dens-canis plentiful Europe as a vermifuge, demulcent and emetic to a contemporary interest in Erythronium japonicum on account of of its apparent properties space enhance mental function.

Further reading

Matthew B. 1987. The smaller bulbs. Batsford.

Pavord A. 2009. Bulb. Mitchell Beazley.

James Penny