Scientists say there are over 270,000 species of flowers that have been documented and are living in the 21st Century. But scientists have yet to answer basic questions about these marvels of beauty… What led to their amazing diversity? Are there flowers that have not changed much during the evolution of this planet?
The first plant fossils found were woody magnolia-like plants dating back 93 million years. Paleobotanists have more recently uncovered tiny herb-like flower fossils dating back 120 million years. Flowering plants, called angiosperms by scientists, were believed to be already diverse and found in most locations by the middle of the Cretaceous period… 146 million years ago. A myriad of s of preserved flowers and flower parts [in very fine detail] have been found in fossils located in Sweden, Portugal, England, and along the Eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States. Below are a few brief histories of some of today’s best loved flowers.
Alstroemeria is named after the Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. This South American flowers seeds were among many collected by von Alstroemer on a trip to Spain in 1753.
There are over 600 species of aster, the most popular being the Monte Casino. Ancient people believed that the odor of its leaves, when burnt, drove away serpents. The English gave this flower two names, asters and starworts. Aster is Latin for star, and referred to its star-like shape. Wort meant root, which signified plants with healing properties. And Asters were laid on the graves of French soldiers to symbolize the wish that things had turned out differently.
The calendula is a member of the marigold family, and was traditionally valued as an herb, rather than its bright yellow blossoms. The Romans used Calendula mixed with vinegar to season their meat and salad dishes. Calendula blossoms in wine were purported to soothe indigestion, and the petals were used in ointments that cured skin irritations, jaundice, sore eyes, and toothaches.
Very early Christians called this flower Marys Gold, and placed it by the statues of the Virgin Mary. Again associated with religion and healing, Calendula is the most sacred flower of ancient India… its flower heads were used to make garlands, which adorned holy statues.
The calendulas genus name, wor calendae, means throughout the months. Like sunflowers, Calendulas flower heads follows the sun.
Carnations have been cultivated for the last 2,000 years, and they hail from the Near East. It is said that the name, Carnation, comes from Greece… carnis (flesh) refers to the original color of the flower, or perhaps the word incarnacyon (incarnation), which refers to the incarnation of God made flesh.
Another possibility… Carnation could come from “coronation” or “corone” (flower garlands), as it was one of the flowers used in Greek ceremonial crowns. This popular flower was also called dianthus by the Greek botanist Theopharastus.
Chrysanthemums had been cultivated in Chinese gardens for more than 2,500 years before they were first exhibited in England in 1795. The ancient Chinese named the Chrysanthemum (“chu hua”), to be their official Flower for October, and also the official badge of the Old Chinese Army. Mums were considered one of the four Chinese noble plants… along with bamboo, the plum, and the orchid, and therefore the lower class Chinese were not permitted to grow them in their gardens.
Visiting Buddhist monks brought the chrysanthemum to Japan in AD 400. Japanese emperors so loved this flower that they sat upon chrysanthemum thrones, and kikus, chrysanthemums in Japanese, were featured on the Imperial Crest of Japan.
Even today, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of the sun, and the orderly unfolding of the mums petals denotes perfection. One of their traditions is to put a single chrysanthemum petal on bottom of a wine glass to sustain a long and healthy life.
This popular perennials name is derived from the Greek chrysos (gold) and anthos (flower). In Italy chrysanthemums are associated with death, so don’t give an Italian girl friend a bouquet of chrysanthemums!
According to an old Celtic legend, the spirits of children who died in childbirth scattered daisies on the earth to cheer their sorrowing parents.
Beautiful gold hairpins, each ending in a daisy-like ornament were found when the Minoan palace on the Island of Crete was excavated. They are believed to be more than 4000 years old. Egyptian ceramics are also decorated with daisies.
This flower’s English name was days eye, referring to the way this flower opens and closes with the sun. And primitive medical men drew the obvious conclusion that it was plainly intended to cure eye troubles. Assyrians crushed daisies and mixed them with oil to turn gray hair dark again.
Marguerite, the French word for daisy, is derived from a Greek word meaning “pearl”. Francis I called his sister Marguerite of Marguerites and the lady used the daisy as her device, so did Margaret of Anjou the wife of Henry IV and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. There is an old English saying that spring has not come until you can set your foot on twelve daises.
King Henry VIII ate dishes of daisies to relieve himself from his stomach-ulcer pain. And a common remedy for insanity was to drink crushed daisies steeped in wine, in small doses for 15 days.
An herbal document written in Latin just sixty years after the coming of Columbus was discovered 1929. It noted that the Aztecs used dahlias as a treatment for epilepsy. The Aztec culture in Mexico was quite advanced but its wealth of written records did not survive the introduction of Christianity. The Aztec Herbal is an astonishing and remarkable resource for botanists and those studying the history of medicine.
Dahlias were late in coming to Europe. European scientific specialists considered the dahlia as a possible source of food since a disease had destroyed the French potato crop in the 1840s. But the beauty of the dahlia far surpassed its taste.
Before insulin was discovered diabetics were often given a diabetic sugar made from dahlia tubers. Chemicals derived from dahlias are used in clinical tests for liver and kidney functions.
Between 1800 and 1805, Lord and Lady Holland lived in France and in Spain where Lady Holland first saw dahlias that had been introduced to Spain about 15 years before. She sent some home to England and it is on the strength of that shipment that she is given credit for the introduction of the dahlia into England.
Delphinium is from the Greek word delphis, meaning dolphin… the flower resembles the bottle-like nose of a dolphin.
Delphiniums were used by West Coast Native Americans to make blue dye, and European settlers made ink from ground delphinium flowers. The most ancient use of Delphinium flowers was a strong external concoction thought to drive away scorpions.
The Latin word gladius, meaning “sword,” and this flower was named for the shape of its leaves. Gladiolus was also called “xiphium,” from the Greek word xiphos, also meaning sword. This flower is said to have represented the Roman gladiators.
British Gladiolus used the stem base (corms) as a poultice and for drawing out thorns and splinters. A mixture of powdered corms and goats milk was a favorite remedy for colic. In the 18th Century, African Gladioli were imported in large quantities to Europe from South Africa.
Medieval monks called this plant the Holy Tree. They believed Holly would keep evil spirits away, and protect their home from lightening. The early Romans decorated their hallways with garlands made from Holly for their mid-winter feast, Saturnalia.
Later its pointed leaves represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, and the red berries his drops of blood. Holly signified eternal life, and also represented the biblical burning bush in the Old Testament, when God appeared before Moses.
Lilies have been associated with many ancient myths, and pictures of lilies were discovered in a villa in Crete, dating back to the Minoan Period, about 1580 B.C.
Lilies are mentioned in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament, they symbolize chastity and virtue. In both the Christian and pagan traditions, the lily is a fertility symbol. In Greek marriage ceremonies the bride wears a crown of lilies and wheat… purity and abundance. Lilies are also a symbol of death, and at one time lilies were placed on the graves of children.
The lily has no true medicinal value, although In Elizabethan times, lilies were one of the ingredients in medicines to treatment fever, or for cleaning wounds, burns and sores.
Orchid originates from Greece, where orchis means testicle. Some orchids are called ladies fingers, ladies tresses, or long purples. Greek women thought that if the father of their unborn child ate large, new tubers, the baby would be a boy. If the mother ate small tubers, they would give birth to a baby girl.
The most famous orchid, the vanilla orchid, was said to give strength to the Aztecs, who drank vanilla mixed with chocolate.
During the 19th century, Orchids were widely collected. There are nearly 25,000 varieties. Its reproductive behavior has fascinated botanists for years… to germinate, an orchids seeds need to be penetrated by fungus threads.
Dr. Joel Roberts-Poinsett, the US Ambassador to Mexico, brought the first poinsettia to the United States in 1928. Poinsettias are known to grow as high as sixteen feet In Mexico. The scarlet color of the original Poinsettias is produced by its bracts… the leaf-like sections that grow before the flower appears.
Because Mexican legends say its bracts resemble the flower of Bethlehem, Poinsettias have the honor of decorating churches at Christmas time. Today, this flower is known worldwide as “the Christmas flower,” and you can find shades of cream, pink and scarlet poinsettias adorning homes everywhere.
The Poinsettia is a member of the euphobia, or spurge family. The name originates from the Old French espurg. This plant was used during the Medieval times as a purgative to rid the body of black bile and melancholy.
Queen Annes Lace was named for Queen Anne, wife of King James I of England. The Queens friends challenged her to create lace as beautiful as the flower.
The root of Queen Annes Lace, also called “wild carrot,” stimulates pigment production in human beings. North African natives chewed it to protect themselves from the sun.
Molecular biologists, who use DNA molecules to estimate age, can trace roses back some 200 million years!
Barletta floral plant is a beloved flower with a long and fascinating history. In this article, we’ll explore the mysterious origins of this delicate white bloom and uncover how botanists finally discovered where it came from after centuries of uncertainty.
The Early History of Barletta Floral Plant
The first recorded mentions of Barletta floral plant date back thousands of years to ancient Greece. Greek philosophers and poets often referenced the flower praising its beauty and fragrance. Later, the Romans also prized the flower, using it in religious ceremonies and as a symbol of purity.
In the Middle Ages, Barletta floral plant became popular as a medicinal herb. People believed it had healing properties and used it to treat headaches, stomachaches, and respiratory issues Its use as a medicinal herb continued through the Renaissance era.
The Flower’s Journey to Barletta
Despite being known across Europe for centuries, the exact origin of Barletta floral plant remained a mystery. It wasn’t until the 1800s that botanists started investigating in earnest.
In 1826, French botanist Antoine Laurent Apollinaire Fée made a key discovery – he found Barletta floral plant growing wild in southern Italy near the city of Barletta. This is how the flower got its name.
Over the next few decades, botanists studied the plant closely and eventually determined it is a hybrid of two species – Leucojum vernum and Leucojum aestivum.
Uncovering the Secrets of the Flower’s Roots and Stems
To better understand Barletta floral plant, researchers explored its anatomy and functions. They found:
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It has a deep taproot up to 1 meter long to access water and nutrients. Lateral roots spread out to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil.
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Its stems are flexible, allowing the plant to sway in the wind without breaking. Stems also facilitate growth and reproduction.
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Inside, taproots and stems have complex layered structures to protect and nourish the plant.
These specialized root and stem systems are key to the flower’s survival.
The Legacy of Barletta Floral Plant
Today, Barletta floral plant is cultivated around the world. Breeders have developed many unique strains, but all trace their lineage back to those wild flowers found in southern Italy nearly 200 years ago.
In addition to decor and medicine, Barletta floral plant has become popular in cooking. The edible bulbs are used in Italian cuisine. They can be boiled, roasted, or added to soups and stews.
After centuries of obscurity, the origins of beautiful Barletta floral plant were finally uncovered thanks to persistent botanists. It has spread from ancient Greek poetry to modern wedding bouquets, medicinal uses, and Italian cooking. Next time you see these delicate white blooms, appreciate the long and fascinating history behind them!
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The Origins of Flowers
FAQ
What is the history of Barletta?
What is the historical reference of flowers?
What is the history of Puglia, Italy?
What is the history of flowering plants?
What is floral evolution?
Floral evolution is the result of subtle developmental changes leading to significant changes in the morphology of flowers. The historical context explains the diversity at a given stage in time, but influences of physical forces operate before, during, and after the ontogeny of the flowers.
Are there barriers to understanding early plant evolution?
Several barriers remain to a more complete understanding of early plant (Archaeplastida) evolution. These include genomic resources for phylogenetically informative but hitherto under-sampled lineages, including (but not limited to) glaucophytes, early diverging chlorophytes, and rhodophytes.
What causes unidirectional flower initiation in Brassicaceae?
These opposing forces are responsible for unidirectional development of organs and the symmetry of the flower. Even in the Brassicaceae where a bract is absent at maturity, a residual bract primordium is present and influences the onset of the flower initiation (Kwiatkowska 2008 ).
How did Viridiplantae originate?
Transcriptome analysis has revealed that the origin of Viridiplantae was marked by the loss of phycobiliproteins and the gain of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll b, thus enabling a greater absorption of light compared to older ancestors [ 3 ].