Alexanders' Midgets. Smyrnium perfoliatum, Perfoliate Alexanders, and the Midges (Dasyhelea sp. and Chironomus plumosus) with Melanostoma mellinus, Dumpy Hoverfly, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
How Smyrnium perfoliatum came by its common name Perfoliate Alexanders (in a number of vernaculars) is unresolved. The great OED discusses its etymology at length and if you want a good read by all means indulge there.
One of the possibilities given in that lemma is that the 'folk' etymology may be derived from the original Latin name Holus atrum, Black Lovage (in Dutch the common name for a Smyrnium is 'Zwartmoeskervel' [Black Mash Chervil]): dropping the H from Holusatrum and adding an n before the t might yield something like 'Alexander'.
'Smyrnium' is Latin for 'Myrrh'. Don't get me going on all kinds of associations running through my mind with regard to Smyrna, now the western Turkish city of Izmir, and its foundation story in which according to Pausanias (c.110-c.180) an important part is played by Alexander the Great.
Anyway, great as Alexander is and thick and large as Alexanders grow (see main photo), the opposite is true of many of the diminutive denizens of its flowers (see inset top left) and foliage. Olymp selected three to show you. Our Hoverfly, I think Melanostoma mellinum, is for comparison to the wee size of those Midges. Fascinating if only for their amazing antennae. Inset left bottom is Dasyhelea sp., one of the Ceratopogonidae; bottom right is Chironomus plumosus. Please excuse me if I got their names wrong: there are at least 5000 different kinds...
Alexanders' Midgets. Smyrnium perfoliatum, Perfoliate Alexanders, and the Midges (Dasyhelea sp. and Chironomus plumosus) with Melanostoma mellinus, Dumpy Hoverfly, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
How Smyrnium perfoliatum came by its common name Perfoliate Alexanders (in a number of vernaculars) is unresolved. The great OED discusses its etymology at length and if you want a good read by all means indulge there.
One of the possibilities given in that lemma is that the 'folk' etymology may be derived from the original Latin name Holus atrum, Black Lovage (in Dutch the common name for a Smyrnium is 'Zwartmoeskervel' [Black Mash Chervil]): dropping the H from Holusatrum and adding an n before the t might yield something like 'Alexander'.
'Smyrnium' is Latin for 'Myrrh'. Don't get me going on all kinds of associations running through my mind with regard to Smyrna, now the western Turkish city of Izmir, and its foundation story in which according to Pausanias (c.110-c.180) an important part is played by Alexander the Great.
Anyway, great as Alexander is and thick and large as Alexanders grow (see main photo), the opposite is true of many of the diminutive denizens of its flowers (see inset top left) and foliage. Olymp selected three to show you. Our Hoverfly, I think Melanostoma mellinum, is for comparison to the wee size of those Midges. Fascinating if only for their amazing antennae. Inset left bottom is Dasyhelea sp., one of the Ceratopogonidae; bottom right is Chironomus plumosus. Please excuse me if I got their names wrong: there are at least 5000 different kinds...