Ferula communis

Its young stems and inflorescences were eaten in ancient Rome, and are still eaten in Morocco today. However, culinary uses of this species are not always safe and poisoning may occur.

{{Cite book

|url=https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2005-093.pdf

|title=A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa

|publisher=IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation

|others=IUCN. Centre de Cooperation pour la Méditerranée

|year=2005

|isbn=2-8317-0893-1

|location=Málaga

|pages=121–123

|oclc=494618983

}}

In Sardinia two different chemotypes of Ferula communis have been identified: poisonous (especially to animals like sheep, goats, cattle, and horses) and non-poisonous.

{{cite book

|editor-last=Verotta |editor-first=Luisella

|date=1997

|title=Virtual activity, real pharmacology: Different approaches to the search for bioactive natural compounds

|location=Trivandrum, India

|publisher=Research Signpost

|isbn=9788186481172

}}

They differ in both secondary metabolites patterning and enzymatic composition.

{{cite journal

|last1=Zucca |first1=Paolo

|last2=Sanjust |first2=Enrico

|last3=Loi |first3=Martina

|last4=Sollai |first4=Francesca

|last5=Ballero |first5=Mauro

|last6=Pintus |first6=Manuela

|last7=Rescigno |first7=Antonio

|title=Isolation and characterization of polyphenol oxidase from Sardinian poisonous and non-poisonous chemotypes of Ferula communis (L.)

|journal=Phytochemistry

|date=June 2013

|volume=90|pages=16–24

|doi=10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.02.019

|pmid=23523329

|bibcode=2013PChem..90...16Z

}}

The resin of the subspecies F. communis subsp. brevifolia is called gum ammoniac of Morocco.

{{cite journal

|last=Stapf |first=Otto

|date=1907

|title=The gums ammoniac of Morocco and the Cyrenaica. (Ferula communis, L., var. brevifolia, Mariz; Ferula marmarica, Aschers. and Taub.)

|journal=Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information

|publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens

|place=Kew, UK

|volume=1907 |issue=10 |pages=375–388

|doi=10.2307/4111767 |jstor=4111767 |issn=0366-4457

|url=https://zenodo.org/record/2210619

}}

The phenolic compound ferulic acid is named for the giant fennel, from which it can be isolated.

Since antiquity, the resin of Ferula species has been used for medicinal purposes. The resin, in the form of a sticky latex, was usually extracted from the lower stalk or root, with the root resin being the finest-grade.

{{cite book

|last=Ḳrispil |first=Nissim

|year=1985

|title=A Bag of Plants (the useful plants of Israel)

|publisher=Cana Publishing House

|volume=3 (Ṭ.-M.) |page=441

|place=Jerusalem, IS

|language=he |isbn=965-264-011-5 |oclc=959573975

}}

s.v. Ferula communis

Where the resin of giant fennel (Ferula communis) was farmed, a small hole was pierced in its root with a sharp instrument, after clearing away all rocks and earth that cling to the exposed root. A small trench was dug beneath the root and overlayed with several smooth and flat stones at the bottom for collecting the exuded resin. The piercing was made deep enough into the root or lower stalk to ensure a steady flow of resin on its own pressure.

The resin was usually harvested in the dry and hot summer months, when dampness and moisture could not corrupt the resin. The resin hardens when exposed to the air, upon which it changes color to a brownish-red. The resin that exudes in coagulated, drop-like form is considered superior to that which runs down loosely.

In the past, rods and whips for disciplinary purposes were made from stalks of Ferula. A Swedish disciplinary tool used in schools in the past, färla, derives its name from this.

{{cite web

|title=färla

|year=1926

|type=word definition & etymology

|website=Svenska Akademiens Ordbok

|language=sv

|url=https://www.saob.se/artikel/?unik=F_2023-0171.g570&pz=3

}}

In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus gave mortals fire by hiding it in the plant's hollow stalk.{{citation |title=Prometheus Bound |author=Aeschylus |orig-date=c. 450 BCE |author-link=Aeschylus|mode=cs1}} Additionally, during the Classical period, a staff fashioned from Ferula communis called a Thyrsus

(/ˈθɜːrsəs/) or thyrsos (/ˈθɜːrsɒs/; Ancient Greek: θύρσος) was carried by the devotees of Dionysus and used in Hellenic festivals and religious ceremonies.{{Cite book|last=Moulton|first=Carroll|title=Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students|publisher=Gale|year=1998|isbn=9780684805030|volume=2|location=New York, NY|pages=7–9}}

Ferula communis has 5 subspecies:{{cite web |title=Ferula communis L. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:842235-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=17 February 2025}}

• Ferula communis subsp. brevifolia {{small|(Link ex Schult.) Elalaoui ex Dobignard}} – Canary Islands and northwestern Africa
• Ferula communis subsp. cardonae {{small|Sánchez-Cux. & M.Bernal}} – Balearic Islands and Sicily
• Ferula communis subsp. catalaunica {{small|(Pau) Sánchez-Cux. & M.Bernal}} – northeastern and eastern Spain
• Ferula communis subsp. communis – Mediterranean to Arabian Peninsula and Tanzania
• Ferula communis subsp. linkii {{small|(Webb) Reduron & Dobignard}} – Canary Islands

{{reflist|25em}}

{{Commons category|Ferula communis}}

• {{EOL}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q150411}}

Category:Flora of Israel

Category:Flora of Lebanon

Category:Flora of North Africa

Category:Flora of Palestine (region)

Category:Flora of the Mediterranean basin

Category:Flora of the Canary Islands

Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula

Category:Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa

Category:Flora of East Tropical Africa

communis

Category:Plants described in 1753

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Category:Edible plants