Crithmum

Crithmum
Rock samphire
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Crithmum
Species: C. maritimum
Binomial name
Crithmum maritimum
L.
C. maritimum
C. maritimum (habitat)

Samphire or rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum, is the sole species of the genus Crithmum. It is an edible wild plant found on southern and western coasts of Britain and Ireland, on mediterranean and western coasts of Europe including the Canary Islands, North Africa and the Black Sea. The term samphire is used for several unrelated species of coastal plant.

Contents

History, trade and cultivation

In the 17th century, Shakespeare referred to the dangerous practice of collecting rock samphire from cliffs. "Half-way down, Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!"[1] In the 19th century, samphire was being shipped in casks of seawater from the Isle of Wight to market in London at the end of May each year.[2] Rock samphire used to be cried in London streets as "Crest Marine".[3]

In England, rock samphire was cultivated in gardens,[4] where it grows readily in a light, rich soil. Obtaining seed commercially is now difficult, and in the United Kingdom the removal of wild plants is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The reclaimed piece of land adjoining Dover, called Samphire Hoe, is named after rock samphire. The land was created from spoil from the Channel Tunnel, and rock samphire used to be harvested from the neighbouring cliffs.

Culinary use

Rock samphire has fleshy, divided aromatic leaves that Culpeper described as having a "pleasant, hot and spicy taste"[5]

The stems, leaves and seed pods may be pickled in hot, salted, spiced vinegar, or the leaves used fresh in salads.

Richard Mabey gives several recipes for samphire,[6] although it is possible that at least one of these may refer to marsh samphire or glasswort (Salicornia europaea), a very common confusion.

References

  1. ^ Shakespeare, William (1623). The Tragedy of King Lear. London.  Act IV, scene VI, lines 14b-15
  2. ^ Grigson, Geoffrey (1958). The Englishman's Flora. London: The Readers' Union, Phoenix House. 
  3. ^ Phillips, Roger (1983). Wild Food. Pan. ISBN 0330280694. 
  4. ^ Phillips, Roger (1983). Wild Food. Pan. ISBN 0330280694. 
  5. ^ Culpeper, Nicholas (1653). The Complete Herbal. London. 
  6. ^ Mabey, Richard (1975). Food For Free. Fontana. ISBN 000613470X. 

External links



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Crithmum — (C. L.), Pflanzengattung aus der Familie der Umbelliferae Seselineae, 5. Kl. 1 Ordn. L. Art: C. maritimum (Meerfenchel), am Mittelmeer, auch in Österreich u. England; das salzig, bitterlich, gewürzhaft schmeckende, dem Sellerie ähnlich riechende …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Crithmum — Tourn., Gattung der Umbelliferen mit der einzigen Art C. maritimum L. (Meer , Seefenchel, Bazillienkraut), reichverzweigte Staude mit ein bis zweifach fiederteiligen Blättern und großen vielstrahligen Dolden, wächst an den Küsten der… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Crithmum — L., Pflanzengattg. der Umbelliferen. C. maritĭmum L. (See oder Meerfenchel), am Mittelmeer, zur Sodagewinnung, als Gemüse und Salat benutzt …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • crithmum — crithme [kʀitm] ou crithmum [kʀitmɔm] n. m. ÉTYM. 1823; lat. crithmum, grec krêthmon. ❖ ♦ Botanique. 1 Plante dicotylédone (Ombelliféracées) qui croît sur le littoral, les sables, les rochers. 2 Christe marine, perce pierre, fenouil de …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • CRITHMUM MARITIMUM L. - КРИТМУМ МОРСКОЙ — см. 723. Многолетнее растение. С. maritimum L. К. морской Sp. pl. (1753) 246. Hegi V, 2 (1926) 2469. Беляева (1946) 81. Gildemeister, Hoffmann (1961) 430. S y n. Cachrys maritima Spreng.; Crithmum canariense Cav. М е с т н. н а з в. Англ. sea… …   Справочник растений

  • Crithmum maritimum —   Hinojo marino …   Wikipedia Español

  • Crithmum maritimum — Meerfenchel Meerfenchel (Crithmum maritimum) Systematik Klasse: Dreifurchenpollen Zweikeimblättrige (Rosopsida) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Crithmum maritimum — Criste marine Criste marine …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Crithmum maritimum — pajūrinis kritmas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Salierinių šeimos prieskoninis, vaistinis augalas (Crithmum maritimum), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje, vakarų Azijoje ir pietų Europoje. Iš jo gaminami maisto priedai (kvėpikliai). atitikmenys:… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Crithmum maritimum — Samphire Sam phire (? or ?; 277), n. [F. l herbe de Saint Pierre. See {Saint}, and {Petrel}.] (Bot.) (a) A fleshy, suffrutescent, umbelliferous European plant ({Crithmum maritimum}). It grows among rocks and on cliffs along the seacoast, and is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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