Nasturtium appeared in Europe thanks to Jesuit monks in the mid-16th century, and already in the 18th century, Europeans knew not only about the wonderful decorative, but also about the excellent taste and medicinal properties of this plant. The name comes from the Latin word for 'little trophy' due to the helmet-like shape of some parts of the flower.
The name capuchin took root in Germany: the peculiar shape of the spur served as the basis for this. Hood and capuchin are brother words. It appeared in our gardens at the same time as potatoes and corn, and has long been the leader in popularity among garden flowers for many decades. Nasturtium brought joy to our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. It is happily grown in the flower beds of kindergartens and schools, because it is an unpretentious flower, so care does not present any difficulties and is kept to a minimum, accessible even to a schoolchild.
Nasturtium - a bright palette of colors in your garden
Nasturtium, capuchin (Tropaeolum) - this genus includes about 90 species of herbaceous perennial plants, native to Central and South America and the Mediterranean. The plants are unpretentious, with magnificent flowers of various shades from yellow to red, grown as annuals in the form of compact bushes or vines. The stem is creeping or climbing up to 3 m long. The root system is taproot, located in upper layers soil.
The leaves are large, alternate, thyroid or palmate, succulent on long petioles, green or red. The flowers are large, solitary, bisexual, on long stalks, located in the axils of the leaves. Blooms from late June until the first frost. The fruit is three-locular, consists of single-seeded fruitlets with a tuberous surface and a spongy light yellow-green shell.
Growing and caring for nasturtium in open ground
Nasturtiums are grown on outdoors in pots, flower beds, flower beds. Climbing and creeping species - in hanging baskets, on supports. It is growing very quickly - hedge nasturtium makes an excellent screen all summer long. Prefers well-lit, drained areas, loamy soils.
On overfertilized lands, it develops powerful stems and leaves to the detriment of flowering. During flowering, regular watering is required. If there is a lack of moisture, it grows poorly and does not bloom for a long time. Feed every 3 weeks with a moderate amount of complex mineral fertilizers. Culture does not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers, lime, excess nitrogen fertilizers, as well as waterlogging.
Remove wilted, damaged and diseased flowers in a timely manner. This stimulates the formation of new buds. Not resistant to low temperatures: flowers cannot tolerate even light frosts.
Growing nasturtium from seeds When to plant in the ground and for seedlings
Nasturtium seeds photo
Planting nasturtium seeds in the ground
Annual species are grown from seeds. They can be sown in open and protected ground from the end of March to the beginning of April. Prepare a bed by thoroughly loosening the soil and filling furrows every 20-25 cm. Plant fairly large nasturtium seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm and cover the furrows reverse side rake. The distance between seeds must be at least 8-10 cm in order to obtain full-fledged seedlings for planting on permanent place.
After sowing, it would be a good idea to cover the bed with film, placing arcs, or build an earthen rampart around the perimeter, pressing the film to the ground with a stone or brick. When seedlings appear, you will need to ensure that the temperature inside the greenhouse does not rise above 25 °C and water it on time. Because high temperatures, burning sunlight and lack of moisture are no less destructive than negative temperatures. When warm days arrive, the film is removed during the day, protecting the plants only at night in case of sudden frosts.
You can plant nasturtium in the ground immediately in a permanent place, hoping that the distance between the bushes should be left decent: about 40-50 cm. Do not spare space, otherwise the plants will oppress each other, become poorly developed and poorly decorative. Planting nasturtium in open ground directly in a flowerbed is carried out only when night frosts have subsided: the seeds will quickly sprout and will be damaged by frost if they are not protected. Depending on the region, this may be late May - early June.
Growing nasturtium from seeds to seedlings at home
Nasturtium is sown for seedlings with the onset of April. 1-2 seeds per peat humus pots or tablets. You can use loose soil for flower plants by filling it with ordinary cups for seedlings. Planting depth is 1 cm. After planting, be sure to water it and place the cups on the south window, where there will be enough light and warmth. You can cover the seeds with film to create greenhouse conditions, but it should be removed when seedlings appear. Shoots appear in 10-12 days. If you planted two seeds, choose a more powerful sprout, and cut off the weak plant. Grown plants are planted in May in fertile, well-loosened and watered soil, without disturbing the earthen coma, at a distance of 40-50 cm.
Climbing varieties can be planted a little more often - up to 35 cm, but this is if they grow on a vertical support. Seeds pre-soaked for 24 hours are sown directly into open ground from mid-May. Cold weather is detrimental to nasturtium, so it is better to cover the plants with film or non-woven material for the first time.
How to collect nasturtium seeds
Nasturtium usually produces abundant self-seeding, which when favorable conditions will germinate next year. The seeds are collected after flowering and remain viable for at least 4 years. They are taken from the most liked specimens. Mature ones are brown in color. After collection, they are dried and stored in paper bags. Perennial species are planted in the spring (5-7 plants per 30-45 cm container at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other) and placed on a well-lit windowsill.
Wintering perennial nasturtium and storing tubers
In autumn, the bushes are pruned to the ground. And in cold climates, the tubers are dug up and stored in a cool place in a box with dry peat.
Perennial species are propagated by dividing tubers in March. After this, they are laid out for germination or immediately planted in pots with nutritious soil, and after the onset of warm days they are taken outside. Perennial species of this tropical beauty They have just begun to conquer the market and are still little known.
Propagation of nasturtium by cuttings
Nasturtium can be taken from cuttings. This method is used for breeding terry varieties. The cuttings are rooted in damp sand or a glass of water, after treating them with root. Plant 1 cutting in a cup; when transplanting into open ground, do not disturb the earthen coma. The main method of propagation of nasturtium is by seed. It is the simplest, most accessible, and is used everywhere.
Pests and diseases
Affected by gray rot, rot, mosaic. If changes are detected in the form of a mosaic pattern, wilting of the lower leaves, or small brown spots, the damaged parts of the plant should be removed.
It would not be superfluous to additionally treat the plantings with special preparations. Typically, diseases actively develop in damp weather and in dense, poorly ventilated plantings. Maintain the recommended distance when sowing. This is one of those cases when it is better to plant less often, and then your flower garden will not be afraid of many diseases.
Nasturtiums are aphids spider mite and cruciferous flea beetle. To combat them you can use chemicals. If you eat the plant for food, use traditional methods - daily pollination of plants with a mixture of ash and tobacco dust or spraying with vinegar (1 glass of 9% vinegar or 2 tablespoons of vinegar essence per bucket of water). Ash can be scattered around the bushes.
Nasturtium helps increase the yield of vegetables. It distracts insect pests, which readily choose the capuchin to lay their eggs. Therefore, by growing nasturtium near vegetable beds, you will protect them from whiteflies, cabbage butterflies, and Colorado potato beetles. You can combine plantings by placing nasturtium mixed with vegetable crops or making decorative curtains from it. Nasturtium is one of the most sought after flowers by many gardeners. It is unpretentious, blooms for a long time and pleases the eye with a lush outfit, serves as protection against many insects.
Useful properties of nasturtium
Nasturtium is successfully used in traditional medicine to dilate blood vessels, to improve blood supply to the heart muscle, as an antitussive, as an antiseptic for diseases of the genitourinary system, and as a normalizer for metabolic processes. It is useful for older people. Due to the content of carotene and sulfur in it, which are preventive substances for sclerosis. It is used in food as a source of vitamins, increasing the biological value of ordinary dishes.
The leaves, buds, flowers and unripe fruits have a pleasant pungent taste, reminiscent of watercress. Leaves and flowers are used in salads, sandwiches, in the preparation of soups, sauces, and side dishes. Unripe fruits and buds are pickled separately or mixed with other vegetables. Unpretentious flower has long won the hearts of amateur growers. He doesn't require special care, grows quickly and blooms for a long time, can transform even the most dull corners of the garden into a colorful landscape.
Variety of colors, availability planting material will satisfy the needs of any gardener. the forms serve as an excellent decoration for fences, courtyard buildings, as well as those places that need to be hidden from prying eyes. Bush forms are suitable for decorating flower beds, borders, and mixborders. In terms of difficulty of breeding, it is accessible to the most inexperienced gardeners. Even a child can be trusted to plant and care for nasturtiums.
Types of nasturtium with description and photo
There are varieties of nasturtiums with bush and climbing forms, with simple, double, semi-double flowers. There are variegated varieties. Used as a decorative flower crop for carpet plantings, for vertical gardening. Leaves, buds, and unripe fruits are used as an aromatic additive in cooking.
Large nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
Annual, climbing, climbing species. Characterized by thyroid-like light green, red or yellow flowers with a spur. The leaves are long-petiolate, round, unequal, green or with a purple tint. The most commonly grown variety is ‘Glim’ with semi-double flowers painted in orange tones. Based on this species, many varieties grown in household plots have been bred.
Foreign nasturtium Tropaeolum peregrinum
A climbing nasturtium from the Canary Islands, a perennial form with irregular yellow flowers with a fringed edge and shield-shaped leaves. If the winter is warm, it winters well in open ground.
Tuberous nasturtium Tropaeolum tuberosum
Tuberous climbing plant with bluish-green five-lobed leaves, which is grown in the mountainous regions of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. In the absence of support, it forms a soil cover. It has large pear-shaped tubers, being an important starch-bearing product.
It has been cultivated by the Indians since ancient times. Yellow-orange flowers 4-5 cm long with a red spur appear later than in other species. The tubers are large, yellow with a marbled pattern. Cultivated as an annual. In autumn, the tubers are removed from the ground, ventilated in the open air, and stored like dahlias.
Nasturtium- a medicinal and food plant, a representative of the Nasturtium family. Nasturtium represents perennial, with delicate multi-colored flowers and green leaves (see photo). It is often planted for decoration. summer cottages, forgetting that it is used in cooking and even in medicine.
Nasturtium was brought to Europe from India; Europeans called it “Indian watercress.” For a long time, the flower was known as the "capuchin" for its resemblance to the hood of the monks of this order. Nowadays, this elegant plant is grown in parks, front gardens and even on windowsills.
Varieties
Nasturtium has so captivated summer residents with its decorativeness and unpretentiousness that breeders never tire of experimenting in creating new varieties. The most famous varieties today are:
- Nasturtium "Vesuvius" - small bushes of a plant with amazingly beautiful flowers of pink shades with burgundy spots on the petals.
- Nasturtium "Cherry Rose" - this beautiful name has a variety with many double flowers of a crimson hue.
- Nasturtium “Day and Night” - the plant has flowers of cream and red shades, which became the culprits for the name of this variety.
Growing: planting and care
Nasturtium can be grown for both decorative and medicinal purposes. The plant as a whole is not picky; if all the conditions are created, nasturtium will quickly grow and bloom. She loves warmth and fertile soil. Nasturtiums usually bloom in June; as for cut flowers, they can last in a vase for almost a week.
You can grow a flower not only in the garden, but also on the windowsill. Nasturtium is a heat-loving plant, so it is necessary to sow the seeds after all frosts. Lowering the temperature, even to 0 degrees, is detrimental to the flower. For the winter, it is recommended to dig up the flowers and replant them in pots; it is better for the plant to overwinter in the house. In the spring, nasturtium can be planted again in open ground. Nasturtium can be planted from seeds, or you can pre-germinate them. Flower care consists of regular watering and getting rid of weeds.
Beneficial features
The beneficial properties of nasturtium have become of interest to doctors quite recently. The leaves and flowers of the plant are rich in vitamin C. Nasturtium contains 10 times more ascorbic acid than lettuce leaves. This fact allows us to consider the flower as a natural remedy for the prevention of colds. It is recommended to use the plant for spring vitamin deficiency.
Nasturtium is effective for heart diseases, it contains the substance tropeolin. It affects the strength of heart contractions, which makes it possible to use nasturtium to normalize heart activity. Nasturtium also contains potassium salts, which is necessary for the functioning of the heart muscle.
The plant contains essential oil, which has many beneficial properties. There is evidence that nasturtium essential oil normalizes hormonal levels in the human body. The plant is used to ease menopause. Essential oil also slows down the process of premature aging.
Use in cooking
The flower has been used in cooking for a long time. Cooks got used to preparing salads from nasturtium, adding it as a seasoning to soups, and to fried meat. In ancient times, monks added the leaves of the plant to salads and kept it as a great culinary secret. The dish was called “Cardinal Salad.” Interestingly, due to the resemblance of the nasturtium flower to the hood of the Capuchin monks, one of its names sounds like “capuchin”.
As for the taste of nasturtium, all its parts have a special spicy taste and pungent aroma. The flower has long been used in cooking to stimulate the appetite. Europeans prepared a salad of leaves and flowers from nasturtium, which tasted close to watercress. French cuisine uses nasturtium to give the dish a special piquancy. The French add nasturtium to salads, and decorate sandwiches with its flowers.
Nasturtium seeds are also used for gastronomic purposes. They are quite large, similar to shriveled nuts. Nasturtium seeds are used as a spicy meat seasoning by boiling them in vinegar.
All parts of the plant have a characteristic peppery taste. The leaves of the flower are rich in vitamin C; this vitamin, in addition to its benefits for the body, tends to add a slight sourness to the dish.
Nasturtium flowers are great for making savory sandwich spreads. To do this, you need to grind a few cloves of garlic and nasturtium petals to a paste-like consistency, add a little mayonnaise and salt. Pasta goes well with ham and cheese; such sandwiches can be decorated with herbs on top.
Nasturtium will add piquancy even to yourself simple dish. According to some reports, in many countries nasturtium replaced pepper; its seeds were ground and used as a seasoning. At the dacha, you can prepare a simple nasturtium salad. For the salad you need to boil three potatoes and two eggs. Cut the ingredients into cubes, add chopped flowers or nasturtium leaves, season the salad with herbs, add salt and mix well. The salad goes well with homemade sour cream.
The flower harmonizes perfectly with such simple ingredients as boiled potatoes, eggs, green pea. Nasturtium buds are usually pickled and served as a separate dish or along with other vegetables. Capers are prepared from the seeds of the flower. For this dish you need to prepare 200 grams of nasturtium buds and marinade. The marinade consists of a mixture of spices and 6% vinegar. For 1 liter of water take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vinegar, 50 grams of sugar, add a little pepper and dried bay leaf. The marinade must be brought to a boil and left to cool. Capers are added to pickle sauce and soups. The marinade from ready-made capers is suitable for making borscht.
Dried nasturtium flowers are brewed with boiling water to produce a fragrant and healthy tea. They are also added to homemade wine for flavor. Powder from the plant can be used in almost any dish where the sharp taste of nasturtium would be appropriate. Vinegar is infused on the plant to give it aroma and flavor. To do this, you need to take 2.5 liters of malt vinegar and add to it 500 grams of fresh plant flowers, 4 cloves, 10 pieces of black peppercorns, 4 pieces of shallots and 2-3 cloves of garlic. This vinegar goes well with fatty meats, such as lamb, and can be used to add flavor to various salads.
A spicy drink is prepared from the leaves of the plant. For the drink you will need 80 grams of sugar, 20 grams of ground horseradish, 50 grams of nasturtium leaves. Nasturtium leaves are crushed, mixed with horseradish, then sugar is added and left for 10 hours. The drink is usually drunk cold.
The benefits of nasturtium and treatment
The benefits of nasturtium are: the presence of antibiotics in its composition plant origin
. The flower was used to treat damaged mucous membranes and respiratory diseases. Thanks to high content Vitamin C plant is an effective prevention of scurvy.
You can prepare it at home alcohol tincture nasturtiums The flowers of the plant must be filled with vodka, after 14 days the tincture can be used. Nasturtium is recommended for use for colds, inflammation of the genitourinary system, and loss of strength. In order to quickly relieve cold symptoms, you need to dilute the tincture with water and gargle your sore throat.
In cosmetology, nasturtium is used as a remedy to strengthen hair. To do this, nasturtium is mixed with nettle. The herbs are thoroughly crushed, combined in one container and poured with 0.5 liters of vodka. After 14 days, the tincture is ready for use. The mixture is applied to the hair roots every other day. After a week of using the mixture, hair loss should stop. Hair will become stronger and healthier.
Harm of nasturtium and contraindications
The plant can cause harm due to individual intolerance. If dosages are not observed, nasturtium can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. People with gastritis or peptic ulcer stomach, nasturtium should not be used, it can be dangerous to health.
From time immemorial, a plant called nasturtium has enjoyed well-deserved popularity due to its medicinal properties and taste characteristics (not to mention the fact that this is a very beautiful and elegant plant that can decorate any garden). About how and when to collect nasturtium, how to properly use this plant in medicine and cosmetology, what useful and delicious dishes You can cook it from it, and we’ll talk in detail in this article.
Description of the plant
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant(can be tuberous and climbing), belonging to the nasturtium family.In Russia, this plant, imported from Holland, was known under the name Capuchin, which is due to the shape of the flower itself, imitating the hood of a monastic cloak. The fact is that “capuchin” and “hood” are brother words. Later, the name “nasturtium” stuck.
But the official name is Tropaeolum - this beautiful plant given by K. Linnaeus, who found the similarity of nasturtium leaves with the shields of soldiers, while the flowers of the plant reminded him of the blood-stained helmets of defeated enemies that were hung on columns (this is how Roman soldiers commemorated victory). Such columns were called tropaeolum.
Interesting fact! To this day, in Germany, bags of nasturtium seeds bear the following inscription: “kapuziner tropaeolum,” thereby combining several theories of the name into one.
Nasturtium is an edible plant
All parts of nasturtium (except for the roots) are edible: for example, the succulent leaves, as well as the flowers of this plant, have a pleasant peppery taste, similar to the taste of watercress. In addition, the aerial parts of nasturtium, rich in ascorbic acid, add a certain piquancy to many dishes due to their spiciness and slight sourness, making them not only tasty, but also extremely healthy.What does nasturtium look like?
The erect, creeping or climbing stems of nasturtium are distinguished by their fleshiness, juiciness and pronounced branching. The length of the stem can reach 2–4 m.The round, veiny, shield-shaped leaves of the plant with a waxy coating, having solid edges, are arranged in an alternate order on fairly long petioles.
Single large flowers irregular shape They are distinguished by a delicate and pleasant aroma, they are located on long peduncles. The brightly colored calyx of flowers has spurs at the base. Nasturtium flowers can be simple, semi-double or double (it all depends on the plant variety). The corolla consists of five petals of yellow, orange or red color.
The fruit of nasturtium is prefabricated, over time it breaks up into three identical wrinkled fruits of a rounded kidney shape small sizes. Each fruit contains one seed inside.
Interesting fact! Nasturtium flowers are bright orange and seem to “flare up” during the bright red “western” sunset.
Where does nasturtium grow?
In total, there are about 80 species of nasturtiums, mainly growing in South America (mainly in the Andes). However, thanks to its unpretentiousness, this plant has taken root well in Europe and Russia (in fairness, it should be noted that annual species of nasturtium predominate in Russia, since this plant does not tolerate frost).Nasturtium prefers moderately moist soils with good drainage, but this plant does not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers or excess moisture.
Nasturtium is warm and light-loving, so you can find it in all its glory in sunlit areas or in light partial shade of trees. With insufficient light, nasturtium will have a pitiful appearance, characterized by stunted shoots and a lack of flowers.
Nasturtium varieties
Of the variety of nasturtium varieties used with therapeutic purpose, the most common in Russia are foreign, large and cultural. Let's talk about them in more detail.Foreign nasturtium
This type of nasturtium is often called "Canary" (the official name of the variety is Tropaeolum peregrinum). Foreign nasturtium is a herbaceous climbing plant, the light green stem of which reaches 4 m in some cases. It grows wild in the northwestern part of South America.
This plant has small, five- or seven-part leaves and small flowers with yellow frilled petals and green spurs. The upper petals have fringed edges.
This plant is edible: for example, its young leaves are enriched with vitamin C, and they contain twice as much ascorbic acid than, for example, green parsley.
Externally, preparations from foreign nasturtium (especially juice) are used in the treatment of skin itching, scabies and baldness. Internal infusions and decoctions from the plant are indicated for heart disease and hypertension.
Large nasturtium
Large nasturtium (or Tropaeolum majus) reaches a height of 10–70 cm (in some cases, the length of the stem can reach up to two meters). This plant has a creeping, bare, succulent, branched and slightly curly stem.
The leaves of nasturtium are large, alternate, entire and long-petioled; they are distinguished by uneven edges and the presence of 10 veins on each leaf. The upper side of the leaf is light green, while the lower side is glaucous (in some cases, the lower part of the leaf has a purple tint).
Single flowers are placed on long peduncles with a cup with a spur. Yellow, orange or bright red flowers have five unfused petals.
Large nasturtium has long been used in folk medicine and cooking. Thus, fresh leaves of the plant, hard flower buds, as well as unripe green seeds with a pungent taste are used as a seasoning for meat and vegetable dishes. Pickled flower buds, like green fruits, resemble the taste of capers in their taste characteristics.
IN folk medicine Preparations based on nasturtium major are used in the treatment of diseases such as scurvy, anemia, skin diseases, urolithiasis, hypertension, chronic bronchial catarrh, and baldness.
Nasturtium cultivated
The name cultivated nasturtium (or Tropaeolum majus) combines mainly hybrids of two varieties of nasturtium - large and shield-bearing. It's densely leafy annual plants with green or purple shield-shaped leaves, the shade of the flowers can vary from light yellow to orange-red.
Simple or double fragrant flowers of the plant can be 5 cm in diameter.
It should be noted that cultivated nasturtium varieties can differ not only in the color of the flowers, but also in the shape of the bush itself: for example, plants can be compact (their height does not exceed 50 cm), creeping (the length of the shoots reaches 4 m), dwarf (maximum plant height is 20 – 25 cm).
In folk medicine, cultivated nasturtium is used similarly to large nasturtium.
Collection and storage
For medicinal purposes, the above-ground part of nasturtium is used mainly, namely leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.Fresh leaves and flowers are used throughout the summer.
When harvesting the aboveground part of the plant for future use, it is necessary to carefully cut off the leafy flowering stems. The stems are dried in the fresh air, but in the shade, while the raw materials are laid out in one thin layer and mixed regularly until drying is complete.
Nasturtium fruits for use in cooking are cut off unripe, while for use in folk medicine this part of the plant should be harvested as it ripens, drying it in air or at a temperature of 40 degrees using dryers. Seeds are extracted from dried fruits.
Important! Nasturtium grows quickly, for this reason its above-ground part can be collected two to three times during the growing season.
Dried raw materials are stored in cloth bags (preferably in well-ventilated areas).
Shelf life is two years.
When does nasturtium bloom?
Nasturtium blooms from early summer until early autumn.Seed collection
Large nasturtium seeds are in a thick protective shell.It should be noted that nasturtium seeds do not ripen simultaneously, but as the plant fades (from August to September), that is, 40 - 50 days after the petals fall.
Ripe seeds of the plant spontaneously fall off. The maturity of the seeds is indicated by their appearance: So, from green they turn whitish, and they should be easily separated from the peduncle.
Nasturtium seeds are stored in cardboard boxes.
Composition and properties of nasturtium
Vitamin C
Action: - normalization of central nervous system functions;
- reduction of uric acid in the blood;
- stimulation of the endocrine glands;
- normalization of redox processes;
- ensuring a complete process of hematopoiesis;
- strengthening capillaries;
- ensuring normal formation and growth of bone tissue;
- strengthening immunity;
- improving iron absorption.
Tropeolin
Tropeolin is a mobile, light-colored liquid that has a sharp, specific odor.
This substance has inotropic properties, that is, it is capable of changing the strength of heart contractions, due to which it is used to normalize cardiac activity. In addition, tropeolin improves coronary blood flow.
Essential oil
Action:
- normalizes the functions of the cardiovascular system;
- removes carcinogens;
- softens cough and enhances the separation of mucus, as well as sputum from the bronchi;
- increases performance;
- improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system;
- relieves inflammation;
- accelerates wound healing;
- stimulates the immune system;
- eliminates pain syndrome;
- normalizes hormone levels;
- improves memory and concentration;
- slows down the aging process.
Action:
- promoting urine excretion;
- increased appetite;
- vasodilation;
- neutralization of microbes;
- increased mucus excretion;
- increased secretion of gastric juice;
- relieving inflammation.
Action:
- restoration of redox processes;
- increased protein synthesis;
- regulation of metabolism;
- participation in the formation of both bones and teeth;
- prevention of premature aging;
- strengthening the immune system;
- prevention of colds.
Action:
- providing muscles, brain, as well as peripheral nervous system energy;
- elimination of mental and physical fatigue;
- ensuring carbohydrate metabolism;
- participation in the synthesis of nucleic acids;
- normalization of the nervous system;
- improvement of eye condition.
Action:
- protecting the body from infections;
- removal of toxins;
- strengthening the immune system.
Action:
- enhances basal metabolism;
- helps increase enzyme activity;
- ensures normal growth, general physical and mental development;
- has a beneficial effect on the condition skin and hair;
- normalizes the functions of the nervous system;
- regulates the functioning of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive, and musculoskeletal systems.
Action:
- relieves mental and physical stress;
- accelerates the body's recovery after injuries and intoxications;
- removes toxins;
- regulates heart rhythm;
- maintains water-salt balance;
- lowers the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Action:
- ensuring almost all metabolic reactions;
- providing the body with energy;
- regulation of acid-base balance;
- normalization of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system;
- ensuring the formation of bone tissue.
Medicinal properties of nasturtium
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Diuretic.
- Antiseptic.
- Antiscorbutic.
- Antitussive.
- Expectorant.
- Uroseptic.
- Antibiotic.
- Diuretic.
- Laxative.
- Anthelmintic.
- General strengthening.
- Antitumor.
- Tonic.
- Blood purifying.
- Antibacterial.
- Antifungal.
The benefits and harms of nasturtium
Benefit
1. Neutralization of pathogenic microbes.2. Normalization of metabolic processes.
3. Strengthening the body's protective functions.
4. Elimination of angina attacks.
5. Relieving pain syndrome.
6. Feeling better.
7. Blood purification.
8. Removing toxins.
9. Relieving symptoms of intoxication.
10. Removing worms.
11. Vasodilation.
12. Improving blood supply to the heart muscle.
13. Increased appetite.
14. Normalization of the central nervous system.
15. Improved metabolism.
According to the results of clinical trials, in patients suffering from chronic coronary insufficiency caused by atherosclerosis, after taking nasturtium preparations, angina attacks stopped after 2–3 minutes, pain was relieved, and overall health improved.
Let's say right away: this chapter is about errors that have become so firmly established in botanical practice and in our everyday life that it is hardly advisable to get rid of them. But getting to know them is not only interesting, but also instructive.
There is a children's game called broken phone. A word transmitted from one to another in a half-whisper, indistinctly and quickly, reaches the end of the chain, often in an unrecognizably distorted form, causing everyone's cheerful surprise.
“Broken telephone” sometimes works in botany. Here, for example, in front of you is a tall plant with complex trifoliate-pinnate leaves and an umbrella-like inflorescence of small lilac flowers from which stamens peek out (Fig. 10). Basil - the fundamental publication calls it “Flora of the central zone of the European part of the USSR”. He is echoed by the reference book “Herbaceous Plants of the USSR”. The same is confirmed by the “Identifier of Plants of the Moscow Region”. It would seem that everything is clear. But in fact, this is the word from the far end of the “damaged phone” chain. What happened at the beginning? In old herbal books we find “Vasilisa the grass,” which traces its ancestry to a Russian female name common in the past. Therefore, not a basilisk, but a basilisk. The difference seems to be small, just one letter, but the meaning is still different.
Many tropical plants have firmly entered our lives, and among them, nasturtium is a popular annual whose original leaves are thyroid-shaped, with veins running out from the center, like small umbrellas, sitting on long, sometimes bizarrely curved petioles, also attached to the center of the leaf blade. The orange-red flowers consist of five velvety petals, a corolla and a brightly colored calyx, which is drawn into a long spur, reminiscent of a hood. The peculiar shape of the spur served as the starting point for the German name of this plant - capuchin lettuce (Kapuzinerkresse). Capuchin and hood are brother words, and the Catholic order of Capuchins (cappuccino in Italian) got its name from capuccio, a pointed hood, an indispensable attribute of the attire of monks - members of this religious society. Thus, the first half of the title is clear, but the second half is still to be discussed. To do this we will have to touch on geography and history.
Botanists count about 80 species of nasturtiums (Tropaeolum). All of them are natives of South America. Among them there are not only ornamental plants. For example, tuberous nasturtium (T. tuberosum), common in the mountains of Chile and southern Colombia, forms edible tubers rich in starch on its roots (locally maca, mayua, mashua). Europeans became acquainted with nasturtium a long time ago, back in the 16th century. The first nasturtiums brought to Europe were called Indian cress (in English Indian cress), because, as travelers reported, the Indians consumed all parts of this plant fresh - leaves, stems, buds, flowers and fruits. Over time, Europeans successfully introduced this greenery into their menu, and since their diet already included one watercress (Nasturtium officinale, or water cress in English), similarly, the South American vegetable received a Latin name similar to the old watercress - nasturtium (Nasturtium indicum, or N. peruvianum). This is how modern nasturtium appeared.
And what’s surprising: later, botanists, of course, realized that these plants had nothing in common except for nutritional qualities, and classified them into different families. Watercress was among the cruciferous plants, nasturtium was among the nasturtiums, and it acquired a different Latin name - Tropaeolum, but the original name was still preserved in everyday life, although it bears it illegally. The real owner of this name - watercress - seemed to have abandoned it in favor of a foreigner. By the way, watercress is now most often called a plant that is completely different from what it used to be - Lepidium sativum - a cruciferous plant native to North Africa.
A similar phenomenon - the transfer of a name from one plant to another - is far from rare. Here is another example, also concerning a garden inhabitant - the left-wing grass (Mattiola annua). These are comparatively low-growing annuals from the cruciferous family, they are suitable for bouquets and for border planting. They bloom for a long time, sometimes continuously for two and a half months. And the colors and shades are very different: golden-yellow, dark purple, yellowish-pink, pinkish-lilac... We deliberately started this listing to inform you that Levkoy, known back in Ancient Greece(Leucojon), means "white-violet". Man created the entire palette of his current colors artificially, using as a base white-flowered plants with a slight lilac tint, found wildly in the Mediterranean. However, despite such a long and brilliant origin, the impostor, like nasturtium, also bears his own name illegally. And a real lefty should be called white flower (in Latin Leucojum) - an early spring bulbous plant from the amaryllis family. In our country it is rare - only in western Ukraine, the Caucasus and Crimea. Its single snow-white flowers hang like small drops of milk on their stalks. This plant is graceful, beautiful, but few people know it and, it seems, has lost its name out of modesty.
The bright red and burgundy berries of American phytolacca are sometimes used for tinting food products, but their juice can be used to make red dye for other purposes. After all, the very name of this plant seems to indicate its use. Phyton means plant in Greek, lakh means varnish or paint in Hindi. Therefore, vegetable varnish, vegetable paint. But in fact, it turns out that the word lakh is used only to refer to paint obtained from... insects! This creates an incompatible complex of “vegetable paint made from insects.”
The chapter on cosmetic plants talks about the red-dying plant (Echium rubrum). Here it is appropriate to mention another of her names: red bruise. It sounds very funny: the generic name indicates the blue color, the specific name indicates the red color. Which one to believe? It turns out, both. In the genus Echium, the overwhelming number of species (and there are about forty of them in total) have blue flowers. The blush with its red root and red flowers is an exception, but, as a full member of the genus Echium, it cannot be deprived of its generic name, although it does not really suit it.
The cocoa tree produces amazing fruits. And they do not hang on branches, but directly on a thick trunk. Somewhat reminiscent in shape to the swollen fruits of sweet peppers, but only 1.5–2 times larger, they contain oval grains that look like large beans and are immersed in a sweetish-sour pulp that fills all five nests of the fruit. After undergoing special fermentation and drying, the seeds (cocoa beans) are sent to confectionery factories. The primary product obtained from them, a paste called “dark chocolate,” contains up to 35 percent fat and, after adding sugar, becomes one of the most nutritious products of plant origin. It is not for nothing that in ancient times the Aztecs prepared a tasty and nutritious drink called chocolatl, which successfully turned into our chocolate.
Having an extremely high opinion of the amazing properties of this drink, Linnaeus included the cocoa tree in the genus Theobroma (theos in Greek - god, broma - food). However, a curious incident arose next. A more detailed study of the genus Theobroma turned out that it also includes species with tasteless fruits, and one with completely inedible ones. So much for the “food of the gods”! The issue was resolved, one might say, with one stroke of the pen: Linnaeus isolated the inedible species into a separate genus Abroma, expelling it from food products with the negating particle “a”. This is how the royal abroma (Abroma augusta) was born - let kings eat what is inedible for the gods. And if we are talking about cocoa, we note that its name arose long before the appearance of strangers on the American continent. Only it sounded a little different before - cacaoacuahuitl. It’s a bit difficult for the European language, so we started making do with a shortened version.
The translation of the Latin name of chingil or chimney - Halimodendron - seaside tree, turns out to be quite strange. Meanwhile, the chingil lives in the arid deserts of Central and Central Asia. What the famous botanist Fischer meant by giving this name is unclear. Perhaps the salt marshes on which chingil grows reminded him of salty sea coasts?
In the practice of floriculture, a plant with the complex name Mesembrianthemum is beginning to appear more and more often, which they usually try to translate as midday or afternoon. The bright red and pink flowers were believed to open only in sunny weather, and at dusk and on cloudy days they are closed. Distinctive feature- love of light - was taken into account when the plant was given its Latin name in 1684 (mesembria - midday, anthemon - flower). But then it turned out that there are (and in quite a large number) species that bloom not only during the day, but also at night. The previous name was rejected, and the current edition was subsequently proposed - Mesembryanthemum. The difference is small: the letter “i” is replaced by the letter “y”, but the meaning is completely different. Mesos - in Greek middle, embryon - embryo, ovary. The middle position of the ovary is the sign that now explains the name. Probably, the Russian translation should also be changed, but try to create a sufficiently capacious, simple, correct and harmonious name!
Or such controversial names. Aquilegia (Aquilegia) - plants with original flowers. Each petal of the corolla is a funnel cut obliquely, continuing in the form of a more or less long spur, sometimes curved with a hook. Along with Latin, Russian names also exist in floriculture practice, mainly watershed and orlik. The origin of both is quite understandable: both of them are tracing-paper translations of the same Latin phrase, although in meaning they have nothing in common. And yet there is a reason here. Latin aqua - water and legere - to collect - the basis of the first translation. And the explanation is logical: water (dew, raindrops) accumulates in the spurs of flowers, unless, of course, they are drooping, as is often the case. The second translation owes its origin to the Latin Aquila - eagle. Perhaps something in common was noticed in the shape of this bird’s beak and curved spurs. Be that as it may, the question arises: what to give preference to? Usually in Russian it is customary to call aquilegia a catchment. But here's what's interesting. Medieval herbalists called this plant differently - Aquileia. Consequently, it became an aquilegia, or, if you like, a catchment relatively recently, and before, apparently, the basis of its name was not water, but an eagle.
One can be surprised and argue about the variety of different interpretations of the same names. For example, raspberries. It would seem that the word is originally Russian, but there is also an assumption that the name is given by the color of the berries. But for what reason? Indeed, in the genus raspberry (Rubus), the coloring of the berries, or rather the complex drupes, is very different: from actual crimson to almost black (in blackberries) and waxy yellow (in cloudberries). This is where scientists argue. Some believe that the basis is black (from the ancient Indian malinas - black), others rely on the Breton melen - yellowish, and finally others prefer the Latin mulleus - reddish. In short, there are so many colors, so many opinions.
For some, it remains a mystery why the Latin name for celery Apium comes from the Greek apex, which means top, top and even back of the head. Without knowing specific historical circumstances, one can make a variety of assumptions. And the explanation is very simple and accurate: in ancient times, celery leaves, now a common table green, were crowned with the winners of the Nemean Games, which were held in Greece, in Argolis, in the intervals between other, larger ones - the Olympic Games. Wreaths were made from celery and placed on the heads of prominent athletes (that's where apex came from!). The famous 11th-century physician Odo from the French city of Mena left us a book “On the Properties of Herbs,” which describes 77 plants, including 12 aromatic and spicy ones, among which an entire chapter is devoted to celery. It describes the ancient ritual mentioned above and specifies:
The first to crown himself with such an award,
There was, they say, Alcides, and the descendants kept the custom...
It is interesting that in Russia, celery did not first appear as a food seasoning. Under Catherine II, it could again be seen on the heads of courtiers. However, this is not the only vegetable used for such purposes. A. Dürer’s wonderful engraving “Melancholy” depicts an allegorical figure of a woman in a wreath woven from... watercress (Nasturtium officinale).
Now let's turn to citrus fruits. What could be common between them and cedar? They are very different. Then why is the fragrant lemon peel and zest so consonant with cedar? The easiest way to explain this is by simple coincidence. However, let's try to figure it out.
Europeans apparently became acquainted with citrus fruits, or rather, first with lemon, in the 4th century BC, during the campaigns of Alexander the Great in Asia. And the name itself appears for the first time in descriptions of Palestine made in the 13th century: “In addition, there are other trees that produce sour fruits with a pungent taste: they are called lemons; Their juice is enjoyed with pleasure in the summer with meat and fish, since it is cold and dries the palate, and stimulates the appetite.” However, even earlier it was mentioned in Chinese chronicles of the 12th century, where the “limung” fruit was described, which was brought to China from other countries. The Greeks and Romans knew it under the name malus midica - Median apple (that is, from the Asia Minor province of Media). Later this name became malus medica - medicinal apple, and the original meaning was distorted.
Here we will interrupt the story about citruses for now and turn to cedars. Let us emphasize true cedars, because in our country the Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica), which produces delicious “pine nuts,” is often mistakenly considered to be a cedar. Botanists count four species of true cedars, of which Atlas, Cypriot and Lebanese are found in the Mediterranean, and only one - the Himalayan - has a geographically isolated distribution area from them. In general, this designation comes from the Greek name of this tree- kedros. During the transition from Greece to the Apennine Peninsula, it turned into Cedrus. Mediterranean cedars, especially Lebanese cedars, have long been valued for their yellowish-brown, durable, rot-resistant and aromatic wood. It was used to build houses, ships, make furniture and smaller crafts. Chests were especially famous for storing clothes, which in them acquired a pleasant resinous smell and did not suffer from moths at all.
It is on this basis that the unification of citrus and cedar occurs. For various types of fragrances, the Romans used both lemon peel and cedar wood. Hence, due to the similarity of use, the peel is called zest, and the fruits that produce the zest are called citrus fruits. Malus medica becomes citrus medica. Its current name, accepted by modern botanists, Citrus limon, again resurrects the ancient Arabic roots of lemon.
Another pair of historically related names: hyacinth (Hyacinthus) and gladiolus (Gladiolus). Outwardly, they cannot be confused: a relatively low-growing and small-flowered hyacinth and a long-stemmed, large-flowered gladiolus with hard sword-shaped leaves. And they belong to different families: the first to the lily family, the second to the iris family.
The first of the plants under consideration, as the ancient Greek myth tells, was created by Apollo from drops of the blood of his pet Hyacinth that fell to the ground. Poetic and beautiful, isn't it? However, abstracting from the mythological imagery, it is worth making two significant remarks. The ancient Greeks, apparently, were not familiar with the flowers that we now call hyacinths. They appeared in culture in Europe only at the end of the 16th century. Their real homeland is Western and Central Asia. And then: from drops of Hyacinth’s blood, a plant with red flowers could most likely grow. Meanwhile, the natural color of wild hyacinths is blue, blue or lilac. Other colors were obtained in culture only relatively recently. The conclusion suggests itself: the ancient Greeks called hyacinth a completely different plant than we do. Which one? According to various descriptions that have come down to us in works of ancient literature, it can be assumed that this name referred to wild gladiolus, most likely to the Byzantine gladiolus (Gladiolus bysanthinus) growing in Greece.
Now a few words about gladiolus, the name of which, translated from Latin, means “small sword” - based on the shape of its hard, sharp, flat leaves standing upright. This is popular garden plant has a complex history. The first large-flowered gladioli apparently came to Europe from southern Africa in the second half of the 17th century. However, they could only be grown under glass: they did not bloom in open ground - there was not enough heat. And only in 1841, the director of the botanical garden in Brussels, the famous breeder Van Houtte, obtained the ancestor of modern large-flowered gladioli - the Ghent gladiolus (Gladiolus gandavensis), which is a complex hybrid of several African species (small-flowered European species were not crossed with African ones). The name “gladiolus” itself appeared much earlier. It was first mentioned by the 9th century poet Valafrid Strabo in the already mentioned poem “The Garden”. And what is most interesting: the plant described by Strabo is not at all similar to wild gladiolus. It is more likely an ordinary iris or iris. These are the connections that connect not two, but three popular garden crops: hyacinth, gladiolus and iris.
And again, we repeat that cases of the name changing from one plant to another are quite frequent. The first taxonomists sought to preserve ancient names even though many of them did not have, so to speak, applications. One could only guess what plants they belonged to. These names were assigned to newly discovered and described species that were obviously unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Examples of the transfer of such names have already been given in the chapter “Mysteries of the Past.”
But there was another way of substituting names, which was associated with the difficult work of copyists of scientific treatises and herbal reference books. Errors made due to negligence or poor command of Latin catastrophically layered on each other, distorting the meaning and changing the names of plants beyond recognition. Often, when copying texts, the names of different types were inadvertently swapped. This is how what is designated by the term “barbarian Latin” arose, that is, illiterate Latin.
Here are some examples of such “relocation” of names. Peanut (Arachis) - herbaceous legume, whose delicious nuts have become a popular delicacy. Peanuts are widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the entire globe, including in relatively small areas here: in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, in the south of Ukraine, in the Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia. The ancient Greeks and Romans did not know peanuts, since their homeland is South America, and they came to Europe through China and southern Asia only a few centuries ago. Meanwhile, this name itself existed in ancient times, but meant something completely different, but also, apparently, a legume plant.
The Greeks also did not know prickly pear - an American cactus with prickly stems flattened like flat cakes. In ancient times, prickly pears were the name given to some plants that were found in the vicinity of the city of Opus (otherwise known as Oponte). One of the provinces of Greece is named after this city - Opunta or eastern Locris, adjacent to the Mali and Euboean gulfs of the Aegean Sea. By the way, all cacti, most of which are found in tropical America, with their characteristic spines, fleshy stems and leaves, were unknown to ancient naturalists, although the word cactus itself has existed since ancient times. It determined many thorny plants Greece. Theophrastus, for example, called the prickly artichoke (Cynara scolymus) by the name kaktos.
The same applies to the well-known thuja shrub. It does not grow wild in the Mediterranean, its distribution area is eastern Asia and North America. However, it is precisely thuja that is found among ancient Greek authors who were not familiar with China and Japan, much less with the American continent. It’s just that in those distant times some types of junipers were identified by this name.
We will also talk about the origin of the name “potato”, but for now we will note that in the 16th century it penetrated into Europe in two ways: through Spain and through England and Ireland. The first path gave rise to the familiar designation of this crop, and the second led to the emergence of English - potato. This name is interesting because it arose erroneously, but due to tradition it was still preserved. And it happened as follows.
It is believed that the first potato tubers were brought to England from the American island of Roanoke, located off the coast of the modern state of Virginia, by an English admiral (also the famous pirate) Francis Drake. But long before that, there were rumors among European botanists about the existence in warm countries of a plant that produces large starchy tubers with a sweet taste, which the locals call sweet potato. The tubers brought by Drake were described as similar to sweet potato tubers and were unconditionally called by this name, which in English sounded like potato. Meanwhile, potatoes grew from them.
Let's make a reservation right away: sweet potatoes and potatoes are very different plants. Here is an image of a potato from the book of the English botanist Gerard, published at the end of the 16th century (Fig. 14). The inscription on it reads batata virginiana - Virginia sweet potato. And here is a picture of a real sweet potato, Ipomoca batatas (Fig. 15). Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, sweet potatoes belong to the bindweed family. Everyone knows what potatoes look like. Sweet potato is a creeping herbaceous plant, the tubers of which are formed not on elongated stolons, like potatoes, but on the stem, in nodes in contact with the ground. And if in potatoes the tubers are modified stems, then in sweet potatoes they become thickened adventitious roots. And in shape they are noticeably different from potato ones: usually narrower, spindle-shaped, often pointed.
They would never have been confused if there had been a person in England at that time who had seen both before. But there was no one to compare, and potato in English remains sweet potato to this day. Subsequently, however, botanists tried to, if not correct, then somewhat smooth out the error by introducing the term “sweet potato” to distinguish these two plants, at least in their names. In addition, according to some researchers, the confusion was facilitated by the fact that along with potatoes Drake apparently also brought sweetish tubers of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) similar in taste to sweet potatoes.
Now about errors and misunderstandings of a slightly different kind - geographical. The father of taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus, who personally discovered and described about one and a half thousand species, meticulously studied the details of the structure of plants. Modern botanists still resort to Linnaean (more than 200 years ago!) descriptions to clarify the definition of a particular species. But the geographical knowledge of the great scientist, alas, left much to be desired, which led to very obvious blunders.
Well, for example, Linnaeus called the wolf's bast shrub sent from China Indian (Daphne indica), and in the descriptions of Chinese bluegrass (Poa chinensis), Chinese string (Bideus chinensis), orange, which in Latin was called Chinese citrus (Citrus sinensis), only India is indicated as his homeland. In the 18th century, the existence of two Indies was quite well known: the East Indies (uniting the territory of modern India and some other countries of southern and southeast Asia) and the West Indies (including islands lying in the Atlantic Ocean between North and South America). For Linnaeus, such a division did not seem to exist, which is why, say, the Indian bentgrass (Agrostis indica) was born, which actually lives on the islands of the Caribbean Sea, thousands of kilometers from real India. And since for almost half of his Chinese and Indian plants Linnaeus did not name the collectors who sent him herbarium material, it is very difficult to determine by name alone whether this plant is really Chinese, Indian or Latin American. But the confusion was not limited to these regions. The Peruvian blueberry (Scilla peruviana) turned out to live... in the Mediterranean, the weeping Babylonian willow (Salix babylonica) is by no means from Babylon, but apparently from China.
The botanists who worked before Linnaeus also did not get along with geography. Today, any schoolchild, without hesitation, will name the birthplace of corn - America. And for the first time this crop appeared in Europe under the name Turcicum frumentum - “Turkish grain”. This is what it is called in the image in the book of the German botanist Leonard Fuchs published in 1542 (Fig. 16). And why is difficult to explain. Indeed, even earlier, when presenting information about distant American lands, Spanish travelers described in detail the culture and use of corn (maize) and even mentioned religious ceremonies using its grain. There would seem to be no doubt where it came from to Europe. And half a century later, the English botanist J. Gerard, who studied in detail as many as eight cultivated forms of corn, came to the conclusion about ... the low taste and nutritional properties of its grain. And he already calls it Frumentum indicum - Indian grain (perhaps meaning the West Indies), but translates this name into English again as Turkish grain (Turkie wheate).
Even earlier, geographic confusion occurred with buckwheat. Now botanists agree that this field crop originates from India. When, in the second half of the 15th century, it appeared in Western and Central Europe, it was dubbed the same as corn later, Turkish and even Saracen grain.
This name indirectly indicates the route of penetration of buckwheat to the west. It is believed that they ran through Asia Minor and Transcaucasia - territories that had strong ties with ancient India.
Taxonomists can point out many more recent and even very recent geographical oddities in plant names. They arose in different ways: there were confused labels, negligence in design, and simply too little knowledge of the author of the description.
Often found in southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor, medlar - a shrub with sour fruits - is mistakenly labeled German (Mespilus germanica), although it is absent from German floras. In Crimea you can find Daurian peony, which, despite its name, is not known in Far East and in Eastern Siberia. And for some reason the original local lily is called the Pennsylvania lily (Lilium pensylvanicum). And there are quite a lot of such examples.
Continuing our mental journey through time and space, let's move back to 1815, to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum and try to imagine the most interesting scene, very vividly described by I. I. Pushchin. “Like now, I see that afternoon in Koshansky’s class, when, having finished the lecture a little earlier than the lesson hour, the professor said: “Now, gentlemen, let’s try feathers!” Please describe the rose to me in verse... “Our poems didn’t stick at all, but Pushkin instantly read... quatrains that delighted us all...”
This is what was born then from the pen of a young lyceum student:
Where is our rose?
My friends?
The rose has withered
Child of the dawn.
Do not say:
This is how youth fades!
Do not say:
Is this the joy of life?
Tell the flower:
Sorry, I'm sorry!
And on the lily
Show us.
A lovely, graceful impromptu. Two flowers - a rose and a lily. More precisely, a lily, as they used to say in the old days.
The clarification is important, because lily (Lilaea) comes from... the highlands of North and South America. Not a lily, but a lily. As it was called by the French botanist E. Bonpland and the German naturalist A. Humboldt in 1808. Inquiring about this plant reveals that it is unusual, literally one of a kind. The lily genus, in turn, is the only one in a very small family.
But in the Russian language there are two families that bear exactly the same names - lilies. In the first (Liliaceae) - very numerous and well-known - there are such popular plants as tulips, lilies of the valley, hyacinths, and finally, lilies themselves. In the second (Lilaeaceae) - extremely limited, which only specialists know about - there is a single genus with a single species. Meanwhile, it can rightfully be called the Liliaceae family, and for a large “namesake” family, the name Liliaceae would probably be better suited. But tradition is tradition, and now we have two families with the same Russian name side by side. By the way, they are close and systematically - both belong to the class of monocots.
But what about the lily of young Pushkin? Most likely, this is a simple coincidence: the poet did not know about the existence of a small American flower with a delicate and sonorous name and was talking about the familiar lily.
Returning to the title of this section, let us say once again that nasturtium and many other plants are called by their proper names by mistake. But in this case, these are errors that are hardly worth correcting...
