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- Asphodel (Asphodelus Ramosus):
- translation: asphodelos, the Greek flower that bloomed in the afterlife, sceptre; branched.
synonyms: White Asphodel, Asphodele Rameux, Royal Staff, Branched Asphodel, King's Spear.
definition: remembered beyond the tomb; my regrets follow you to the grave; mourning.
The ancients planted asphodel near tombs, as they were regarded as the favoured food of the dead, as mentioned in many poems. There were also superstitions surrounding asphodels, that they potended death for the sick, as they were the plant that filled the plains of Hades. This superstition did not keep asphodel roots from being cooked in ashes and eaten, as in the works of Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny. In Algeria, an alcohol of excellent flavour has been obtained from the plants. The Greeks and Romans also used them in several diseases, however they are not used in modern medicine. Medically asphodel served as an acrid, heating, and diuretic. It was said to be useful in menstual obstructions, and as an antispasmodic. The bruised root was recommended for rapidly dissolving scrofulous swellings.
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