Asphodeline lutea

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Asphodelaceae
Subfamilia: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Asphodeline
Species: Asphodeline lutea
Name

Asphodeline lutea (L.) Rchb., Fl. Germ. Excurs.: 116. 1830.

Protologue locality: "Habitat in Sicilia."
Typus: non design.

Synonyms

Basionym
Asphodelus luteus L., Sp. Pl. 1: 309. 1753.
Homotypic
Dorydium luteum (L.) Salisb., Gen. Pl.: 72. 1866, nom. inval.
Heterotypic
Asphodelus sibiricus Schult. & Schult.f. in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes, Syst. Veg. 7: 483. 1829, nom. illeg. non Siev. (1794).

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
References
Primary references

Reichenbach, H.G.L. 1830–1832. Flora Germanica Excursoria. Vol. 1–2. 878 pp., Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Carolum Cnobloch. BHL Reference page. (!116)

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Asphodeline lutea in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Feb. 22. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Asphodeline lutea. Published online. Accessed: Feb. 22 2019.
The Plant List 2013. Asphodeline lutea in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Feb. 22.
Tropicos.org 2019. Asphodeline lutea. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Feb. 22.

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Gelber Affodill
English: Yellow asphodel
suomi: Keltasoihdukki, keltasoihtu
polski: Złotnica żółta
Türkçe: Sarı çiriş

Asphodeline lutea (king's spear, yellow asphodel) is a perennial plant native to southeastern Europe, northern Africa, the Caucasus and the Levant.[1] It is grown as a landscaping plant.[2]

It has been associated with the Asphodel of the underworld,[3] but see also the closely related Asphodelus ramosus.

Description

Asphodeline lutea reaches 3 to 4 ft (0.91 to 1.22 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft (0.30 to 0.61 m) wide. The grey-green leaves are 1 ft (0.30 m) tall, with the flower stalk growing 3 to 4 ft (0.91 to 1.22 m) bearing a dense raceme of bright 1 in (2.5 cm) yellow flowers.[2]
History

Asphodeline lutea was introduced into the University of Oxford Botanic Garden in 1648, even though it demonstrated no known uses that are typical of a physic garden (plants grown for medicinal use). One of the curators of the garden at the time, John Parkinson, said the plant was "not... used in Physicke for any purpose." The locals in the Mediterranean who were interviewed by Parkinson said that that plant had "no... propertie appropriate unto it but knavery," with no explanation of the particular knavery of which the plant was guilty. The description in the Botanic Garden used the old name of Asphodelus lutea.[4]
References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
"Asphodeline lutea". Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
Robert Graves. The Common Asphodel 1949
"Asphodeline lutea". Botanic Garden. University of Oxford. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2012.