Re: Ancient Medit Plants
Nick Turland wrote:
>
> Colette,
>
> > Am I right in thinking that the helenium is a North American native
> > and would not have ben in Ancinet greece. I know that "Heleniums"
> > sound as if they should be Greek I wonder if she is confusing them with the
> > corn marigolds that grew so prolifically in the fields in the spring.
> > Chrysanthemeum segutum ????
>
> Yes, the genus named Helenium by Linnaeus is North American but the
> name is older, referring to an Old World plant. Linnaeus changed name
> traditions sometimes.
>
> > Is acacia a
> > mediterranean native......not too sure on that one either?
>
> I think there are few native species in Egypt and Israel, but the rest are
> introduced to the Med. region from elsewhere. That's assuming you mean
> the actual genus Acacia rather than related acacia-like trees (e.g. Albizzia,
> Robinia).
Hi Nick
As far as I can make out all the golden flowered species of Acacia
commonly called Mimosa (Certainly A drummondii which someone else
mentioned) are of Australian or American origin. The flat-topped thorns
of the African savanna are of course other menbers of the genus, and
could conceivably have been known to the ancients, but unlikely to have
been valued for picking (dull flowers and horrible thorny stems) I
can't find any reference at all to Acacia spp in Egypt or Israel, so
presume thay are probably not very pretty or exciting either!
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
