'A wonderfully amusing flower'. Epimedium alpinum, Barrenwort or Bishop's Hat, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In the rain the other day I ventured out in the hope of better weather to the Hortus Botanicus. The wetness let up a bit and this is what I saw.
Here's Epimedium alpinum, Bishop's Hat or Barrenwort. 'Epimedium' comes from the Greek, but an ancient Greek Redivivus wouldn't likely recognise our plant because in classical times that word seems to have been used for a different plant altogether. Early botanical writers say that they don't have a commonly understood vernacular name for this plant and thus they prefer to use 'Epimedium'. Such a one is the well-known professor of botany of the University of Groningen, Abraham Munting (1626-1683). In the chapter devoted to this plant in his great Naauwkeurige beschryving der aardgewassen he shows himself particularly taken by it and he writes of its 'wonderfully amusing flower' (wonderlijke kluchtige bloem). He also follows his botanist colleagues in describing the 'powers' of Epimedium: women are not to ingest it for it causes barrenness. Curiously, it has also been seen as an aphrodisiac; and apparently Epimedium contains icariin, a flavonoid also used in viagra. That I suppose belies another name: Bishop's Hat.
'A wonderfully amusing flower'. Epimedium alpinum, Barrenwort or Bishop's Hat, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In the rain the other day I ventured out in the hope of better weather to the Hortus Botanicus. The wetness let up a bit and this is what I saw.
Here's Epimedium alpinum, Bishop's Hat or Barrenwort. 'Epimedium' comes from the Greek, but an ancient Greek Redivivus wouldn't likely recognise our plant because in classical times that word seems to have been used for a different plant altogether. Early botanical writers say that they don't have a commonly understood vernacular name for this plant and thus they prefer to use 'Epimedium'. Such a one is the well-known professor of botany of the University of Groningen, Abraham Munting (1626-1683). In the chapter devoted to this plant in his great Naauwkeurige beschryving der aardgewassen he shows himself particularly taken by it and he writes of its 'wonderfully amusing flower' (wonderlijke kluchtige bloem). He also follows his botanist colleagues in describing the 'powers' of Epimedium: women are not to ingest it for it causes barrenness. Curiously, it has also been seen as an aphrodisiac; and apparently Epimedium contains icariin, a flavonoid also used in viagra. That I suppose belies another name: Bishop's Hat.