Plant Indices
- Alphabetical Index (Genera)
- Alphabetical Index (Vernacular)
- Cladistic Index
FUMITORY (Fumaria)
Family: Papaveraceae
Species: Fumaria officinalis (syn.
Fumaria densiflora)
 |
| Fumaria officinalis, 5th of April, 2009. Own work--Luis Nunes Alberto. |
Names:
- Fumitory
- Aardrook [Dutch]
- Aaronovo Brada [Slovak]
- Aisge [Basque]
- Arjangoitxi [Basque]
- Běžný Zemědým [Czech]
- Beggary [Scots]
- Blodurt [Danish/Norwegian]
- Běžný Zemědým [Czech]
- Carro De Venus [Spanish]
- Common Fumewort
- Common Fumitory
- Conínelo [Galician]
- Conringia [Dutch]
- Drug Fumitory
- Dūmu Zāle [Latvian]
- Duiven Kervel [Dutch]
- Duivekervel [Dutch]
- Earthsmoke
- Echte Erdrauch [German]
- Erdrauch [German]
- Erdraute [German]
- Erva Moleirinha [Portuguese]
- Fermissel [Breton]
- Foempe [Frisian]
- Fumaria [Italian/Portuguese/Spanish]
- Fumaria Maior [Portuguese]
- Fumaria Medicinal [Spanish]
- Fumária-Da-Terra [Portuguese]
- Fumária-Maior [Portuguese]
- Fumária-Oficinal [Portuguese]
- Fumaaria [Finnish]
- Fumeterre [French]
- Fumeterre Officinale [French]
- Fumewort
- Fumisterre [French]
- Fumiterre [French]
- Fumišķe [Latvian]
- Fumosterno [Italian]
- Fumuşiţă [Romanian]
- Furmeterre [Norman French]
- Fursterre [French]
- Galinha Gorda [Portuguese]
- Gemeiner Erdrauch [German]
- Gewöhnlicher Erdrauch [German]
- Harilik Punand [Estonian]
- Iksuvu [Basque]
- Jordreg [Danish]
- Jordrök [Swedish]
- Jordrøyk [Norwegian]
- Kapnos [Greek]
- Katkeruoho [Finnish]
- Katzenkörbel [German]
- Kłosowa Dymnica [Polish]
- Konopnica [Polish]
- Köpekişnemsi [Turkish]
- Kwitniec [Polish]
- Kyrkhespur [Swedish]
- Läkerölleka [Swedish]
- Lékařský Zemědým [Czech]
- Mărărel [Romanian]
- Matrem [Hungarian]
- Medicinal Fumitory
- Mētra [Latvian]
- Negakin [Basque]
- Obecný Zemědým [Czech]
- Paloma [Spanish]
- Palomilla [Spanish]
- Palomina [Spanish]
- Palomurid [Estonian]
- Palomuroho [Finnish]
- Palonilla [Spanish]
- Peumo [Mapudungun]
- Polni Rutica [Slovenian]
- Pombinha [Portuguese]
- Rautengewächs [German]
- Reykjurt [Icelandic]
- Rezeda [Hungarian]
- Rohtoemadyr [Estonian]
- Rookwortel [Dutch]
- Rutica [Croatian]
- Sanguinária [Portuguese]
- Sanhoen [Korean]
- Şahtere [Turkish]
- Sangra [Galician]
- Sangre De Cristo [Spanish]
- Smoke Weed
- Taubenknöterich [German]
- Taubenkropf [German]
- Tavasztüdőfű [Hungarian]
- Usos Belar [Basque]
- Zapaliczka [Polish]
- Zemědým [Czech]
- Zemědým Lékařský [Czech]
- Zemni Dym [Czech]
- Zemsky Dym [Russian]
- Zemēsta [Latvian]
Genus Distribution: Native to Europe, Africa, Asia.
Species Distribution:
- Africa, Northern: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
- Asia, Northern: Russia (North Caucasus)
- Asia, Western: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan
- Europe, Eastern: Bulgaria, Romania
- Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece (including East Aegean Islands), Italy (including Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands)
- Europe, Western: Belgium, France
Physical Description
Genus of flowering annuals, with its
highest species concentration around the Mediterranean.
Most common Fumaria species in Central and Western Europe. It is an herbaceous annual that grows 10-50cm (3.9-19.7in) long. We say “long” because it is only weakly erect and has a scrambling habit.
Its flowers are pink and 7-9mm long, blooming from April to October in the Northern Hemisphere, except the UK where it blooms May to September. Plant has 20-60 flowers per spike.
|
|
Fumaria officinalis, 22nd April, 2021. Own work--Didier Descouens (User: Archaeodontosaurus). |
Symbolism
Fumaria comes from the 13th century
Latin fumus terrae, “smoke of the earth.” This is because the petals of
the flowers are partially translucent, and the slight grey-blue of their
foliage, especially after morning dew. Both Dioscorides (De Materia Medica) and Pliny the Elder (Naturalis Historia) relayed that the sap or
latex of the plant causes tears, like acrid smoke, which is likely the origin
of the 13th century name fumus terrae. The Greeks called it
kapnos.
The “fumewort” name now mostly applies to Corydalis (especially C. solida), which closely resembles Fumaria. The two genera were once thought one.
Victorian Flower Language
Per Greenaway it conveys the notion of "spleen," an archaism
for spite, ill-temper, or hatred.
Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.
Though this plant has been known since antiquity, evidence of its medical use only goes back to the late Middle Ages. It has been marketed as an herbal medicine in France since 1963, and today, products made with fumitory are sold in Austria, Germany, France, and Spain (though under EU regulations, its legal status is in question).
Eyes
In the 17th century, it was publicized
as good for the eyes (presumably by purification) due to remarks by
Dioscorides, Pliny, and later Olivier de Serres that the sap/latex caused
excessive tearing. Even today in Britain it is used as an eyewash to treat
conjunctivitis.
Cardiovascular Health
Used to treat arteriosclerosis and as a
“blood purifier.”
Blood Sugar
Used as a treatment for hypoglycemia.
GI Health
One of this plant’s most common uses
was to aid in digestion and treat constipation. In Austria used for treatment
of dyskinesia of the bile duct. There is limited evidence that it modifies
abnormal bile flow in animals. Its use against IBS is questionable.
UT Health
Fumitory is a diuretic, a kidney
cleanser, and a treatment for cystitis.
Joint Health
Used as a treatment for rheumatism and
arthritis.
Antimicrobial
Used to treat infections, including
skin blemishes (this use was pronounced in Siciliy).
Poison
Despite claims by Michael Howard in his
1987 book Traditional Folk Remedies that the plant is poisonous, the European
Union has no records of safety issues with fumitory products as of 2011, when
they started recording. Fumitory contains protopine, which can cause
excitation and convulsions in animals. No studies on safety of use with
pregnant women, children, or the elderly.
Compiler Notes
- Because of its origins in the Latin for “earth smoke,” this flower should be used in association with smoke, fire, pyroclastic forces, and Hell. This can be used in the malefic, with the magician carrying Hell with them into the world by the flower or the acrid latex. Alternately, this might be benefic in the hands of the abjuror, performing "Hell has come to take you back."
- Per Pliny the Elder's conjecture about earthquakes being caused by winds trapped in the earth, fumitory might be an excellent reagent for earthquake spells.
- Because of its use as an eye treatment, it could be used to break charms that cloud the vision and impose false impressions directly (in D&D terms: charm person vs. disguise self).
- Could also be used to disabuse people of their biases. Dramatic opportunity for it to do the same to the caster of the spell, granting an unpleasant insight into the log in their eye as they try to remove the splinter from another.
- Blending together the use as eye treatment with Pliny's conjecture, this plant might be used to treat earthy blockages elsewhere with the power of fire and wind. This would be a convenient magical explanation for its effectiveness against the symptoms of arthritis, GI issues, etc., etc. One might be able to magically improve cardiovascular health by using earthsmoke to break up clots (though this use might come with great risk of heart attack or stroke as a sort of cardio-earthquake). One well practiced in this use might be able to push this to "blood-boiling" rage with minimal risk.
- The idea that you could store smoke in water isn't exactly crazy, as cool, still water can retain a lot of gas in solution and release it when disturbed. Fumaria might be used as a carrier reagent for other fumigants, enabling one to lock the gasses in water or oil.
Image Refs
[Img 01 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fumaria.jpg ]
[Img 02 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:(MHNT)_Fumaria_officinalis_-_Habit.jpg ]
 |
| Fumaria bastardii. From iNaturalist, uploaded by aroche. |
Names:
- Bastard Fumitory
- Bâtarde Fumeterre [French]
- Climbing Fumitory
- Dense-flowered Fumitory
- Fumária Bastarda [Portuguese]
- Fumeterre De Bastard [French]
- Greater Fumitory
- Large-flowered Fumitory
- Tall Fumitory
- Tall Ramping Fumitory
- Thick-flowered Fumitory
- Thickfruit Fumitory
- Unechter Erdrauch [German]
Distribution:
- Africa, Northern: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
- Europe, Southern: Greece (including Crete, East Aegean Islands), Italy (including Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily), Portugal (including Azores, Madeira), Spain (including Balearic Islands, Canary Islands)
- Europe, Western: England, France, Ireland, Scottland, Wales
- Asia, Western: Lebanon, Syria
Physical Description
Tall flowering plant reaching up to 2m. It is
a weed on arable land.
Symbolism
The name “bastard’s fumitory” is likely
related to its weed-like habit on farmland, functionally a parasite, a blemish
on the “family” of the farmer’s field.
Compiler Notes
- Blending together the “bastard” meaning with the plant’s relative magnificence/standing out (2m tall) and being a ground-smoke, it’s easy to syncretize with the infernal imagery of the plant. Perhaps it could be tied to cambions or other forms of changelings. Lots to do with this one.
Image Refs
[Img 04 - https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/12889957 ]
 |
| Fumaria muralis, 19th of Feb, 2018. Own work--Anne5578. |
Names:
- Common Ramping Fumitory
- Fumária-Das-Muralhas [Portuguese]
- Fumária-Das-Paredes [Portuguese]
- Fumaria De Los Muros [Spanish]
- Fumeterre Des Murs [French]
- Fumiterra [Galician]
- Fumitoria [Galician]
- Fumitória-das-paredes [Portuguese]
- Mauer-Erdrauch [German]
- Mur Jordrøg [Danish]
- Mural Fumitory
- Murronurmikohokki [Finnish]
- Muurfumaria [Dutch]
- Palomita [Spanish]
- Palomilla De Muro [Spanish]
- Pe De Galiña [Galician]
- Ramping Fumitory
- Rankende Erdrauch [German]
- Wall Fumitory
Distribution: Temperate and Mediterranean regions;
- Africa, Northern: Morocco
- Europe, Northern: Norway
- Europe, Southern: Portugal (including Azores, Madeira, Selvagens), Spain (including Canary Islands)
- Europe, Western: Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Scottland, Wales
Biome: Temperate and Mediterranean
Physical Description
Annual with erect, many-branched stems
up to 1m (39.4in) that transition to a crawling or climbing habit. Its flowers
are pink-petaled with dark red or purple tips, with ~12 flowers per
inflorescence.
This is a weed of pastures, roadsides, gardens, footpaths, coastal shrubland, and disturbed areas.
Compiler Notes
- Retained for names and distribution.
Image Refs
[Img 06 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fumaria_muralis_ca-02.jpg ]
 |
| Fumaria parviflora. Taken from florapal.org, attributed to Ori Fragman. |
Names:
- Indian Fumitory
- Chatra [Hindi]
- Conejillos [Spanish]
- Fainorifu Fyumitori [Japanese]
- Fineflower Fumitory
- Fineleaf Fumitory
- Fumaria-Da-India [Portuguese]
- Fumaria-De-Flor-Miuda [Portuguese]
- Fumaria-Menor [Portuguese]
- Fumaria-De-Flor-Pequena [Spanish]
- Fumaria Minore [Italian]
- Fumeterre D'inde [French]
- Fumeterre A Petites Fleurs [French]
- Fumitoria-das-flores-pequenas [Portuguese]
- Karchurai [Hindi]
- Kasturi [Bengali]
- Kseh [Arabic]
- Khetpapra [Hindi]
- Kleinblutige Erdrauch [German]
- Kleinblutiger Erdrauch [German]
- Krishnakranthi [Sanskrit]
- Krafig Jordrok [Swedish]
- Mararas [Romanian]
- Munequita [Spanish]
- Palomilla Fina [Spanish]
- Palomilla Menuda [Spanish]
- Palomilla Morada [Spanish]
- Papraa [Hindi]
- Parpata [Sanskrit]
- Parpataka [Sanskrit]
- Pitpapada [Hindi/Marathi]
- Pitpapra [Hindi]
- Pitpaprada [Hindi]
- Pittapaparo [Gujarati]
- Shahtara [Hindi/Persian/Urdu]
- Shahatra [Hindi/Persian]
- Shahtra [Hindi]
- Shahtraj [Arabic]
- Shotara [Bengali]
- Smallflower Fumitory
- Tara [Bengali]
- Tare Maki [Japanese]
- Tahtisavurouho [Finnish]
- Tukhme Shahtara [Persian]
- Turan-Pittapapado [Gujarati]
- Unani Pitpapra [Hindi]
- Yan Zi Cao [Chinese]
- Zemedym Malokvety [Czech]
Distribution:
- Africa, Northern: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
- Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
- Asia, South: Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Asia, Western: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Yemen
- Europe, Central: Germany, Hungary
- Europe, Eastern: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
- Europe, Southern: Greece (including Crete, East Aegean Islands), Italy (including Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal (including Madeira), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands, Canary Islands)
- Europe, Western: Belgium, France
Compiler Notes
- Retained for names and distribution.
Image Refs
[Img 07 - https://florapal.org/plant/fumaria-parviflora/ ]
 |
| Fumaria purpurea in a hedge at Preston Montford, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK. 29th of April, 2007. Own work--Alex Lockton. |
Names:
- Purple Fumitory
- Fumária-Púrpura [Portuguese]
- Fumeterre Pourpre [French]
- Purple Ramping Fumitory
- Purpur Jordrök [Swedish]
- Purpurfarbener Erdrauch [German]
- Purpurfumaria [German]
Distribution:
- Europe, Western: England, Ireland, Scottland, Wales
Physical Description
A sprawling or climbing plant with stems up
to 2m long. The stems are brittle and exude a white sap when broken. Regularly
found growing through hedges.
The inflorescence commonly comes with 15-24 flowers that are on short, recurved stalks. This strong bent-back habit and the purplish flowers are the primary means of identifying this species.
Compiler Notes
- Do something with groundsmoke growing through hedges. Possibly connect to the royal qualities of purple being found at the boundary/fringe?
- "Royal Groundsmoke" might be used in conjunction with other magical coronation features. Given the plant's distribution around the British Isles, it might appear around devices such as the Stone of Destiny (Lia Fáil) of Ireland, which roars when the (right and proper) new king steps upon it.
Image Refs
[Img 08 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fumaria_purpurea.jpg ]
 |
| Fumaria capreolata. Own work--Alvesgaspar. |
Names:
- White Ramping Fumitory
- Białe Serduszka [Polish]
- Biela Zemedym [Slovak]
- Bryd-Y-Brain [Welsh]
- Climbing Fumitory
- Conejito De Los Vallados [Spanish]
- Conejitos [Spanish]
- Fumaria Bianca [Italian]
- Fumaria Blanca [Portuguese/Spanish]
- Fumária-Das-Paredes [Portuguese]
- Fumária-Maior [Portuguese]
- Fumeterre Blanche [French]
- Fumeterre Grimpante [French]
- Fumiterra Bianca [Italian]
- Gallinita [Spanish]
- Gallitos [Spanish]
- Gatunha [Portuguese]
- Greater Ramping Fumitory
- Herba Dona [Catalan]
- Herbe À La Veuve [French]
- Palomilla [Spanish]
- Palomilla Blanca [Spanish]
- Palomina [Spanish]
- Rampterrøyk [Norwegian]
- Ramping Fumitory
- Sangre De Cristo [Spanish]
- Trepadora [Spanish]
- White Climbing Fumitory
- White Fumitory
- Whiteflower Fumitory
- Wit Duivekervel [Dutch]
- Zapaticos Del Señor [Spanish]
Distribution:
- Africa, Northern: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
- Asia, Western: Cyprus, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey
- Europe, Central: Switzerland
- Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece (including Crete, East Aegean Islands), Italy (including Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands, Canary Islands)
- Europe, Western: Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Scottland, Wales
Physical Description
This is a plant with stems that grow up
to 1m long with an occasional climbing habit. Its stems flower with up to 20
purple-tipped white-to-cream flowers that bloom in spring and summer.
Pollinated flowers turn pink.
Unlike other Fumaria species, which are agricultural weeds, this is an environmental weed that becomes naturalized in its environment and smothers low-growing plants.
Compiler Notes
- Retained for names and distribution.
Image Refs
[Img 05 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fumaria_April_2010-1.jpg ]
* * * * * * *
See Also:
- Plants
- Flowers
- Trees
- Ferns
- Moss and Lichen [Pending]
- Fungi [Pending]
- Cladistic Index
- Herbal Medicine [Pending]
- Resin, Incense, Balsam, and Lacquer [Pending]
- Lardizabalaceae
- Chocolate Vine
- Dead Man's Fingers
- Papaveraceae
- Bleeding Heart
- Celandine
- Fumitory
- Poppy
- Ranunculaceae
- Adonis/Anemone/Pasque
- Buttercup/Crowfoot
- Clematis
- Columbine
- Coptis
- Hellebore
- Hepatica
- Larkspur
- Love in a Mist
- Monkshood/Wolfsbane
* * * * * * *
-Greenaway, Kate. Language of Flowers. George Routleage and Sons.
(
https://www.secretflowerlanguage.com/
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_bastardii
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_capreolata
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_muralis
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_officinalis
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_parviflora
)
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_purpurea
)
_Fumaria_officinalis_-_Habit.jpg){kind=link}
No comments:
Post a Comment