|Sea holly, shore of Mediterranean Sea near mouth of Dalyan River, Turkey|
The sea holly, Eryngium maritimum, is a species of Eryngium in the plant family Apiaceae and native to most European coastlines. It resembles a plume thistle in that its flower is burr-shaped, but the flowers are metallic blue rather than mauve. Protected from winds this dune plant grows to a height of 20 to 60 cm. Although widespread, it is considered endangered in many areas, such as Germany where its occurrence has been greatly reduced throughout and has become locally extinct in several districts.
|“||"Let the sky rain potatoes;
let it thunder to the tune of Green-sleeves,
hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes [sea-holly],
let there come a tempest of provocation..."
—Falstaff, Act 5, scene v, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", William Shakespeare
This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eryngium maritimum.|
- Plants for a Future—PFAF Plant Database: Eryngium maritimum (Sea Holly)
- (German) Further information and images
- Den virtuelle floran: Distribution
Eryngium maritimum - MHNT