The smell of gold: Helichrysum foetidum, Robertsvleipad, Franschhoek, South Africa
Silly King Midas of Phrygia, says Greek mythology, had a great love for beautiful things, especially for roses. He planted a veritable Eden of Roses. Walking in his garden one day enjoying their colors and scent, he saw asleep under the bushes the satyr Silenus. Overcome by wine, Silenus had wandered away, lost from a party hosted by Dionysius. After entertaining him for ten days, Midas reunited Silenus and Dionysius, asking famously and stupidly for the gift of the Gold Touch. No smell to golden roses... We'll leave Midas before his cure and the other scrapes into which he got himself.
I was reminded of this story by our flowers' Latin name: Helichyrsum foetidum: Stinking Sungold, or more properly in English "Stinking Sunflower" or "Polecat Strawflower". Originally called Gnaphalium foetidum by Carolus Linnaeus (1753), it was renamed by the German botanist Conrad Moench (1744-1805).
Even on an overcast day with only a bit of brightness they shine golden in marshy areas, and if you don't see them at first because of the wealth of other plants, they soon call your attention to them by their strong odor!
This 'head' of flowers was shot in a swampy area (=vlei) near the Robertsvleipad a couple of kilometers outside of Franschhoek in the wine district of South Africa. But I saw no satyrs; and I would have been forewarned by the Midas story anyway not to have chosen a panflute over the lyre!
The smell of gold: Helichrysum foetidum, Robertsvleipad, Franschhoek, South Africa
Silly King Midas of Phrygia, says Greek mythology, had a great love for beautiful things, especially for roses. He planted a veritable Eden of Roses. Walking in his garden one day enjoying their colors and scent, he saw asleep under the bushes the satyr Silenus. Overcome by wine, Silenus had wandered away, lost from a party hosted by Dionysius. After entertaining him for ten days, Midas reunited Silenus and Dionysius, asking famously and stupidly for the gift of the Gold Touch. No smell to golden roses... We'll leave Midas before his cure and the other scrapes into which he got himself.
I was reminded of this story by our flowers' Latin name: Helichyrsum foetidum: Stinking Sungold, or more properly in English "Stinking Sunflower" or "Polecat Strawflower". Originally called Gnaphalium foetidum by Carolus Linnaeus (1753), it was renamed by the German botanist Conrad Moench (1744-1805).
Even on an overcast day with only a bit of brightness they shine golden in marshy areas, and if you don't see them at first because of the wealth of other plants, they soon call your attention to them by their strong odor!
This 'head' of flowers was shot in a swampy area (=vlei) near the Robertsvleipad a couple of kilometers outside of Franschhoek in the wine district of South Africa. But I saw no satyrs; and I would have been forewarned by the Midas story anyway not to have chosen a panflute over the lyre!