''Ferula'' (from

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''ferula'', 'rod') is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of about 220

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus '' Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plan ...

, native to the

Mediterranean region In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and wa ...

east to central

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

, mostly growing in arid climates. They are herbaceous

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s growing to 1–4 m tall, with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems. The leaves are

tripinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and in ...

or even more finely divided, with a stout basal sheath clasping the stem. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are usually yellow, rarely white, produced in large

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s. Many plants of this genus, especially '' F. communis'', are referred to as "giant fennel," although they are not

fennel Fennel (''Foeniculum vulgare'') is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized ...

in the strict sense. Koeh 061-nocaps

Selected species

The Roman spice laser or laserpicium probably came from a species of ''Ferula'', either an extinct one or ''

Ferula tingitana ''Ferula tingitana'', the giant Tangier fennel, is a species of the Apiaceae genus ''Ferula''. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus (''Foeniculum''). ''Ferula tingitana'' is a tall perennial ...

'', though other identities have been suggested.

Uses

The gummy

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

of many species of ''Ferula'' is used for various purposes: :''

Ferula foetida ''Ferula foetida'' is a species of ''Ferula'' native to Central Asia (Kyzylkum Desert, Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan), Eastern Iran, western Afghanistan and western Pakistan. It is the most widely distributed species that produces asafoetida. It ...

'', ''

Ferula assa-foetida ''Ferula assa-foetida'' is a species of '' Ferula'' endemic to Southern Iran. It is the source of asafoetida, but its production is confined to Southern Iran, especially the area near Lar. Outside its native range, other asafoetida-producing s ...

'' and some other species are used to make the spice

asafoetida Asafoetida (; also spelled asafetida) is the dried latex ( gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of ''Ferula'', perennial herbs growing tall. They are part of the celery family, Umbelliferae. Asafoetida is th ...

, or ''hing''Plants for a Future, Ferula assa-foetida L., Asafoetida - Devil's Dung. Hing
/ref> :''

Ferula gummosa ''Ferula gummosa'' is a perennial herb of '' Ferula'' in the family Apiaceae. It is native to Iran and Turkmenistan. Its gum resin is called galbanum Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin and a product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant spec ...

'' makes

galbanum Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin and a product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species in the genus ''Ferula'', chiefly ''Ferula gummosa'' (synonym ''F. galbaniflua'') and ''Ferula rubricaulis''. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifull ...

:''

Ferula hermonis ''Ferula hermonis'' is a species of flowering plant in the Apiaceae family. It is native to Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. The epithet ''hermonis'' refers to Mount Hermon on the border between Syria and Lebanon. Common names include zallouh (Arabic ...

'' makes zallouh :''

Ferula moschata ''Ferula moschata'' (syn. ''Ferula sumbul''), the musk root or sumbul, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, found from Central Asia to western Xinjiang. Its roots are the source of muskroot, a substitute for animal musk Mus ...

'' makes '' sumbul'' :'' Ferula persica'' or '' F. szowitziana'' makes sagapenum :''

Ferula marmarica ''Ferula'' (from Latin ''ferula'', 'rod') is a genus of about 220 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region east to central Asia, mostly growing in arid climates. They are herbaceous perennial plants ...

'' makes "Cyrenaican

ammoniacum Ammoniacum or the gum ammoniac is a gum-resin exuded from the several perennial herbs in the genus ''Ferula'' of the umbel family (Apiaceae). There are three types of ammoniacum: the gums ammoniac of Cyrenaica, of Persia (the commercial one today ...

" :''

Ferula ammoniacum ''Ferula ammoniacum'' (syn. ''Dorema ammoniacum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is the source of Persian gum ammoniac. References ammoniacum Ammoniacum ...

'' makes "Persian

" :''

Ferula communis ''Ferula communis'', the giant fennel, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus '' Apium'' and commonly known as the ce ...

'' subsp. ''brevifolia'' makes "Moroccan

" :

Silphium Silphium (also known as ''silphion'', ''laserwort'', or ''laser'') is an unidentified plant that was used in classical antiquity as a seasoning, perfume, aphrodisiac, and medicine. It also was used as a contraceptive by ancient Greeks and Romans ...

was used to make ''laserpicium'' The Romans called the hollow light rod made from this plant a ''ferula'' (compare also fasces, judicial birches). Such rods were used for

walking sticks A walking stick or walking cane is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion accessory, or are used for self-defense. Walking sti ...

, splints, for stirring boiling liquids, and for corporal punishment.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1342970 Apiaceae genera Medicinal plants