6 – Blue grass lily – aphyllanthes monspeliensis l.
Ethnobotanical NFC digital path
Asparagaceae family
This plant from arid mediterranean areas blossoms at pentecost.
Their corollas (composed of all the petals) look like a funnel. The flowers are edible but make sure to identify them properly.
To resist against the drought, this plant doesn’t have any leaves ; it makes its photosynthesis with its blue-green stems.
Useful : Grass scrubbing brushes with its roots
We used to harvest its roots with a long-toothed spade. The roots were rubbed against a stone in order to remove their barks. Then they were fixed on a wooden support, and the brush was ready !
Edible flowers :
These flowers are appreciated by hares and other herbivores. It is also the sweets of the shepherds when they watch their flocks.
Why do so many species are called « from Montpellier » ?
This city has one of the oldest university of France. In the 16th century, its reputation as a medical university was already established. Botany education and the fields trips were a large part of the program. Plants identification sessions were mandatory.
Many of these future botanists-doctors have baptized plants “from Montpellier” because they were studing there. Unknown samples were sent to this university for identification. That is why many plants are called « from Montpellier ».