Gundelia
Encyclopedia
The gundelia is a spiny, thistle-like flowering plant
, any of several species of the genus
Gundelia, in the sunflower family (Asteraceae
), particularly G. tournefortii. It is found in the semi-desert areas of Syria
, Palestine
, Jordan
, Iraq
, Iran
, Azerbaijan
, Armenia
, and Anatolia
.
Gundelia tournefortii, garnered media attention in 1998, when its pollen
grains were found in abundance on the Shroud of Turin
. Serving as a claim in establishing its provenance, it has been suggested that this spiny plant was used for the "crown of thorns
" worn by Jesus
, though others have suggested Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi
).
The leaves, stems, roots, and undeveloped flower buds of G. tournefortii, colloquially known as tumble thistle, are edible when they first sprout in early spring (February-March). The plant becomes progressively drier over the summer, it leaves yellowing and growing spikes. Before dying, it detaches from the root to be pushed around by the wind and disperse its seeds for the following year's harvest. Known as aqub (or akub) in Arabic
, Arabs use it for food and healing purposes, and respect and identify with the plant. It is gathered in the wild by Muslim and Christian
Palestinians
, Druze
(Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian), and Sephardic Jews in Israel. Sold in markets in Jerusalem, Syria and Lebanon, it also gathered in the wild in Turkey
. Among Arab citizens of Israel
in the north of the country, a popular dish using the plant consists of the dethorned heads covered in minced meat and olive oil and fried, and then simmered with lemon juice.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
, any of several species of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Gundelia, in the sunflower family (Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
), particularly G. tournefortii. It is found in the semi-desert areas of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, and Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
.
Gundelia tournefortii, garnered media attention in 1998, when its pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
grains were found in abundance on the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
. Serving as a claim in establishing its provenance, it has been suggested that this spiny plant was used for the "crown of thorns
Crown of Thorns
In Christianity, the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments of the Passion, was woven of thorn branches and placed on Jesus Christ before his crucifixion...
" worn by Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, though others have suggested Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi
Ziziphus spina-christi
Ziziphus spina-christi, the Christ's Thorn Jujube is an evergreen tree native to northern and tropical Africa and southern and Western Asia...
).
The leaves, stems, roots, and undeveloped flower buds of G. tournefortii, colloquially known as tumble thistle, are edible when they first sprout in early spring (February-March). The plant becomes progressively drier over the summer, it leaves yellowing and growing spikes. Before dying, it detaches from the root to be pushed around by the wind and disperse its seeds for the following year's harvest. Known as aqub (or akub) in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Arabs use it for food and healing purposes, and respect and identify with the plant. It is gathered in the wild by Muslim and Christian
Palestinian Christians
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic , Protestant, and others...
Palestinians
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
, Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
(Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian), and Sephardic Jews in Israel. Sold in markets in Jerusalem, Syria and Lebanon, it also gathered in the wild in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Among Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
in the north of the country, a popular dish using the plant consists of the dethorned heads covered in minced meat and olive oil and fried, and then simmered with lemon juice.
External links
- Shroud of Turin reveals images of two crowns of thorns
- Gundelia tournefortii Flowers in Israel