Difference between revisions of "Hyrcolus"

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(The plant Hyrcolus according to Pliny.)
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<span style="color:#3CB371">Botanical identification:</span>
 
<span style="color:#3CB371">Botanical identification:</span>
  
The name of this plant is only attested in Pliny. André (1985: 125, s.v.) sees in it “sans doute” a species of the genus ''Valeriana'' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeriana]], and specifically ''Valeriana saxatilis'' L. “rock valerian” [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsen-Baldrian]], [[https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeriana_saxatilis]].  
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The name of this plant is only attested in Pliny. André (1985: 125, s.v.) sees in it “sans doute” a species of the genus ''Valeriana'' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeriana]], and specifically ''Valeriana saxatilis'' L. “rock valerian” [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsen-Baldrian]], [[https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeriana_saxatilis]]. Its distribution ranges from (sub) alpine limestone rock habitats in Eastern Switzerland and Italy in the West to the Eastern Alps into Albania.  
  
 
Pliny goes on to mention several features that supposedly make ''hirculus'' different from the Gaulish ''nardus'', features that may be important for identification: ''distat quod sine cauliculo est et quod minoribus foliis quodque radicis neque amarae neque odoratae'' – “it is different from the Gaulish ''nardus'' in that it is without stalk and that it has smaller leaves and that the root is neither bitter nor has it any fragrance”.  
 
Pliny goes on to mention several features that supposedly make ''hirculus'' different from the Gaulish ''nardus'', features that may be important for identification: ''distat quod sine cauliculo est et quod minoribus foliis quodque radicis neque amarae neque odoratae'' – “it is different from the Gaulish ''nardus'' in that it is without stalk and that it has smaller leaves and that the root is neither bitter nor has it any fragrance”.  
  
What Pliny could have meant  - stating that the plant has no stalks - is describing the fact that the leaves of ''V. saxatilis'' come up from the ground and the plant only develops stalks for its flowers, but then so does ''V. celtica''. [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsen-Baldrian#/media/File:Valeriana_saxatilis_2006.06.27_11.17.58-p6270149.jpg]].
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What Pliny could have meant  - stating that the plant has no stalks - is describing the fact that the leaves of ''V. saxatilis'' come up from the ground, i.e. basal leaves, and the plant only develops stalks for its flowers, but then so does ''V. celtica''. [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsen-Baldrian#/media/File:Valeriana_saxatilis_2006.06.27_11.17.58-p6270149.jpg]].
  
 
However it is true that ''V. celtica'' - if that is ''nardus Gallicus'' - has until quite recently been collected on a large scale and exported to Asia for perfume making because of its strong valerian scent of the roots and that even today certain Alpine farmers have a licence to dig the plant up for export purposes.  
 
However it is true that ''V. celtica'' - if that is ''nardus Gallicus'' - has until quite recently been collected on a large scale and exported to Asia for perfume making because of its strong valerian scent of the roots and that even today certain Alpine farmers have a licence to dig the plant up for export purposes.  
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[[User:WilfGunther|WilfGunther]] ([[User talk:WilfGunther|talk]]) 11:19, 29 October 2016 (BST)
 
[[User:WilfGunther|WilfGunther]] ([[User talk:WilfGunther|talk]]) 11:19, 29 October 2016 (BST)
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See also [[Nardus]]
 
See also [[Nardus]]

Revision as of 10:28, 29 October 2016

Hyrcolus secundum Plinium vocatur herba similis nardo gallico et ipsum cum ea adulteratur et cum ipso nascitur et cetera.


Apparatus:

Hyrcolus AC | Hyrculus p | Hirculus B efj
nardo | m͠o j {modo?}
gallico | galico B
adulteratur | adulterantur p
et cetera add. AC


Translation:

Hyrcolus is the name of a herb, according to Pliny, which is similar to the nardus {“nard”} from Gaul and this said nardus is {often} adulterated with this plant. Also the two are found growing together, et cetera.


Commentary:

hirculus:
Larin hirculus , the diminutive of hircus “goat-buck”, means lit. “little goat” and here seems to be given to a plant because of its strong smell.

Simon’s entry is a brief retelling of an adjunct in Pliny’s description of the different kinds of nardus, Natural History,12, 26, 46, ed. Rackham (1938-63: IV, 32), see also Nardus.

Pliny’s text is:
Cum Gallico nardo semper nascitur herba quae hirculus vocatur a gravitate odoris et similitudine, qua maxime adulteratur – “With Gaulish nardus always grows a herb called hirculus {“little goat”}, so named because of its strong smell similar to a goat’s smell. This plant is commonly used to adulterate Gaulish nardus.


Botanical identification:

The name of this plant is only attested in Pliny. André (1985: 125, s.v.) sees in it “sans doute” a species of the genus Valeriana [[1]], and specifically Valeriana saxatilis L. “rock valerian” [[2]], [[3]]. Its distribution ranges from (sub) alpine limestone rock habitats in Eastern Switzerland and Italy in the West to the Eastern Alps into Albania.

Pliny goes on to mention several features that supposedly make hirculus different from the Gaulish nardus, features that may be important for identification: distat quod sine cauliculo est et quod minoribus foliis quodque radicis neque amarae neque odoratae – “it is different from the Gaulish nardus in that it is without stalk and that it has smaller leaves and that the root is neither bitter nor has it any fragrance”.

What Pliny could have meant - stating that the plant has no stalks - is describing the fact that the leaves of V. saxatilis come up from the ground, i.e. basal leaves, and the plant only develops stalks for its flowers, but then so does V. celtica. [[4]].

However it is true that V. celtica - if that is nardus Gallicus - has until quite recently been collected on a large scale and exported to Asia for perfume making because of its strong valerian scent of the roots and that even today certain Alpine farmers have a licence to dig the plant up for export purposes.


WilfGunther (talk) 11:19, 29 October 2016 (BST)


See also Nardus


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