Sea holly
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| iSea holly | ||||||||||||
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 Sea holly, shore of Mediterranean Sea near mouth of Dalyan River, Turkey
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| Eryngium maritimum L. |
The Sea holly (Eryngium maritimum) is a species of Eryngium in the plant family Apiaceae and native to most European coastlines. The protected dune plant grows to a height of 20 to 60cm and although widespread it is considered endangered. So, for instance, in Germany its occurrence has been greatly reduced throughout and become extinct in some regions.
In Elizabethan times in England, these were believed to 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, let there come a tempest of provocation..." (source: The Merry Wives of Windsor; Act 5, Scene 5 by William Shakespeare).
[edit] Reference
This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
[edit] External link
- (German) Further information and images
 Illustration |
 Flowers, Meia Praia beach, Lagos, Portugal |
 Whole plant, Meia Praia beach, Lagos, Portugal |
 Picture taken in Rewa, Poland, 2005 |
