Athamanta sicula
L.
Apiaceae
Bubon garganicum Ten.
Libanotis sicula (L.) Crantz
Tinguarra sicula (L.) Benth. & Hook.f.
Common Name:
General Information
Athamanta sicula is a herbaceous, perennial plant growing 30 - 100cm tall from a taproot[
1092- Title
- Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)
- Publication
- Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Jan-Mar; 7(25): 31-34
- Author
- Vita Di Stefano, Rosa Pitonzo, and Domenico Schillaci
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A researh paper, looking at the effectiveness of Athamanta sicula, especially the essential oil, in the treatment of cancer
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Europe - C. and S. Italy; N. Africa - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia
Habitat
Vertical cliffs of a calcareous nature, at elevations from 100 - 1,500 metres[
1092- Title
- Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)
- Publication
- Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Jan-Mar; 7(25): 31-34
- Author
- Vita Di Stefano, Rosa Pitonzo, and Domenico Schillaci
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A researh paper, looking at the effectiveness of Athamanta sicula, especially the essential oil, in the treatment of cancer
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.50 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Species in this genus generally succeed in most soils[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
], preferring a well-drained soil in full sun[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The long tap root is susceptible to rot in wet winters[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Root - raw or cooked. Somewhat celery-like[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].
Medicinal
An infusion of the fresh roots is used as a diuretic in the treatment of diseases of the urinary tract, and to dissolve kidney stones[
1092- Title
- Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)
- Publication
- Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Jan-Mar; 7(25): 31-34
- Author
- Vita Di Stefano, Rosa Pitonzo, and Domenico Schillaci
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A researh paper, looking at the effectiveness of Athamanta sicula, especially the essential oil, in the treatment of cancer
].
The essential oil in the plant, especially the apiol and myristicin content, showed significant antiproliferative activity on several cancer cell lnes[
1092- Title
- Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)
- Publication
- Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Jan-Mar; 7(25): 31-34
- Author
- Vita Di Stefano, Rosa Pitonzo, and Domenico Schillaci
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A researh paper, looking at the effectiveness of Athamanta sicula, especially the essential oil, in the treatment of cancer
].
Other Uses
An essential oil in the plant is rich in apiol[
1092- Title
- Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of Athamanta sicula L. (Apiaceae)
- Publication
- Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Jan-Mar; 7(25): 31-34
- Author
- Vita Di Stefano, Rosa Pitonzo, and Domenico Schillaci
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A researh paper, looking at the effectiveness of Athamanta sicula, especially the essential oil, in the treatment of cancer
]. It has been shown that, when the essential oil is coated over steel, it is an effective inhibitor of hydrochloric acid corrosion[
1091- Title
- Effect of Athamanta sicula oil on inhibition of mild steel corrosion in 1M HCl
- Publication
- Der Pharma Chemica · February 2015, 7(2):103-111
- Author
- A. Bouyanzer et al
- Website
- http://derpharmachemica.com/archive.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2015
- ISBN
- 0975-413X
- Description
- Research paper on the value of plant extracts, especially Athamanta sicula, in protecting steel from acid corrosion.
].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Germination usually takes place within 3 - 6 weeks at 13°c[
134- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rice. G. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
The seed can also be sown in situ as soon as the soil is workable in the spring[
134- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rice. G. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
].
Division in spring, with care[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
