| Drimia maritima | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Scilloideae |
| Genus: | Drimia |
| Species: | D. maritima |
| Binomial name | |
| Drimia maritima | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Drimia maritima (syn.Urginea maritima) is a species offlowering plant in thefamilyAsparagaceae, subfamilyScilloideae (formerly the family Hyacinthaceae).[3] This species is known by several common names, includingsquill,sea squill,sea onion,[4] andmaritime squill.[5] It may also be calledred squill, particularly a form which produces red-tinged flowers instead of white.[5] It is native to southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.[4]
This plant grows from a largebulb which can be up to 20 cm (7.9 in) wide and weigh 1 kg (2.2 lb). Bailey reported weights of up to fifteen pounds (seven kilograms), probably referring to a clump.[6] Several bulbs may grow in a clump and are usually just beneath the surface of the soil. In the spring, each bulb produces a rosette of about ten leaves each up to a meter long. They are dark green in color and leathery in texture. They die away by fall, when the bulb produces a tall, narrowraceme of flowers. Thisinflorescence can reach 1.5–2 m (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in) in height.[5][7] The flower is about 1.5 cm (0.59 in) wide and has sixtepals each with a dark stripe down the middle. The tepals are white, with the exception of those on the red-flowered form. The fruit is a capsule up to 1.2 cm (0.47 in) long.[5]
This plant often grows in rocky coastal habitat, especially in theMediterranean Basin, where it is common.[5] It occurs in many other types of habitat, except for the driest deserts.[7] It can grow in open and also in very shady areas.[8] Its habit of producing leaves in the spring and flowers in the fall is anadaptation to theMediterranean climate of its native range, where the summers are hot and dry.[9]
This species has two differentpollination syndromes,entomophily andanemophily; it is pollinated by insects and wind. Insect pollinators include thewestern honey bee (Apis mellifera), theOriental hornet (Vespa orientalis), and thepaper wasp speciesPolistes gallicus.[7]
The plant has been used as a poison and as a medicinal remedy. The main active compounds arecardiac glycosides, including uniquebufadienolides such as glucoscillaren A,proscillaridine A, scillaren A, scilliglaucoside and scilliphaeoside. The plant can have a cardiac glycoside content of up to 3%.Scilliroside, the most important of the toxic compounds, is present in all parts of the plant.[10] The broad leaves of this plant, when they completely dry out, lose their toxicity and are consumed by cattle and sheep.[11] InPalestine,Arab peasants are known to use the plant to mark thebutts and bounds of farm land, on account of the plant's distinct features.[11][12][13]
This species has been used as amedicinal plant since ancient times. It is noted in theEbers Papyrus of the 16th century BC, one of the oldest medical texts ofancient Egypt.[9]Pythagoras wrote about it in the 6th century BC.[14]Hippocrates used it to treatjaundice,convulsions, andasthma.[5]Theophrastus was also familiar with it.[9] Its primary medicinal use was as a treatment foredema, then called dropsy, because of thediuretic properties of the cardiac glycosides.[15] A solution of sea squill andvinegar was a common remedy for centuries.[15] The plant is also used as alaxative and anexpectorant.[5]
The plant has also been used as apoison. It is very bitter, so most animals avoid it.Rats, however, eat it readily, and then succumb to the toxicscilliroside. This has made the plant a popularrodenticide for nearly as long as it has been in use as a medicine.[5] The bulbs are dried and cut into chips, which can then be powdered and mixed with rat bait. The plant was introduced as an experimental agricultural crop in the 20th century primarily to develop high-toxicity varieties for use as rat poison.[9] Interest continued to develop as rats became resistant tocoumarin-based poisons.[5][16]
It has also been tested as aninsecticide againstpests such as thered flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum).[16]
Pythagoras andDioscorides hung the bulbs with sprouted leaves outside the door in spring as protection againstevil spirits.[5] The bulbs are still gathered and displayed in the winter as part of Greek Christmas and new year's traditions.[17]
The tall inflorescences are used ascut flowers infloristry.[5]
