an iris by any other smell

some flowers are named after objects that they resemble, some are even named after the way that they feel, but my favourite flowers of all are the ones named after their odor. in this latter category none is more exemplary than the roast beef plant—an iris that is said to have a pungent beefy musk.

In his English translation of Rembert Dodoens’s A New Herbal (1619) Henry Lyte, calling it `Stinking Gladin’, pulled no punches. He said that the leaves were “of a lothsome smell or stinke, almost like unto the stinking worme”.

first butterflies that defecate butter and now plants that smell like roast beef!?! what a marvelous age of discovery it is for this indoor naturalist!

i wonder if the roast beef plant goes well with armoracia rusticana.

synsepalum dulcificum

i finally hosted a miracle fruit tasting party last night. briefly: citrus fruits tasted like ambrosia, anything that already had sugar in it tasted like bubble bath, and everything else tasted the same (ie. capers were still as objectionable as ever).