The Symbology of Crocus

Artemis and the maiden goddesses Britomartis, Diktynna, Aphea Britomartis (Greek: Βριτόμαρτις) or, more appropriately, Britomarpis1 was an ancient goddess who was primarily worshipped in Minoan Crete. Goddess of mountains and hunting, patroness of hunters, fishermen and sailors, she was sometime identified with the Aeginetan Aphaea (or Aphaia). According to some authors, she was also revered as Dictynna (Δίκτυννα).

Nigella damascena – Love-in-a-mist

Botanical name: Nigella damascena L. Common names: Love-in-a-Mist, ragged lady, devil in a bush; ancient: melanthion (Greek), gith. Each time I meet this plant, my gaze is rapt by its beauty and the complexity of its figure. Even if it’s relatively common in the Mediterranean area, in practice it is met not so often. It usually appears in a group: …

Kenilworth Ivy

Kenilworth Ivy, also known as Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Wall Pennywort (an ancient name) or Mother-of-Thousands (Cymbalaria muralis G. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb.) is a plant native to the Southern Europe, but now present in several parts of the World (Subcosmpolite). It can usually be found in the crevices of old, moist walls (hence its specific name “muralis”, a Latin name …

Marigold

April 2019, 1st and 2nd, first days of the second month of Spring. The name April comes from the Latin “(mens) aprilis”, that, in turn, according to some authors, comes from the greek ἀφρός (aphròs), that means foam, in reference to the foam from which Venus, the goddess the April month was consecrated to, was born; according to other authors, …

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are the fruits of the trees belonging to the genus Citrus L., in the subfamily Aurantioideae Eaton of the family Rutaceae Juss. Well known all over the world as fruits characterized by a typical soursweet (more or less sweet or sour according to species and variety) and sometimes bitter taste, they are mostly used as food, either raw …

The Apple tree

Practically unknown from the point of view of herbal medicine in some countries, the apple tree (Malus domestica (Borkh.) Borkh.) is a concentrate of interesting properties: it’s cooling and moistening, with a slightly astringent, aromatic, sweet and acrid-bitter taste. It has a particular tropism toward the inner organs placed below the diaphragm (stomach, liver, gallbladder, bowels, kidneys, spleen and pancreas), …

Saffron

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a spice with thousand virtues, in both cuisine and herbal therapy, esteemed as a useful remedy since ancient times. Castore Durante, in his “Herbario nuovo” wrote:“QUALITIES. It’s hot in the second degree and dry in the first, keeping in itself a little of cold and terrestrial, it opens, repercusses (*), digests, corroborates, and also mollifies. …