ferula communis

3 definitions found

ferula communis - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Narthex \Nar"thex\, n. [L., giant fennel, Gr. na`rqhx.]
     1. (Bot.) A tall umbelliferous plant (Ferula communis). See
        Giant fennel, under Fennel.
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     2. (Arch.) The portico in front of ancient churches;
        sometimes, the atrium or outer court surrounded by
        ambulatories; -- used, generally, for any vestibule,
        lobby, or outer porch, leading to the nave of a church.
        [1913 Webster]

  Ferula \Fer"u*la\, n. [L. ferula giant fennel (its stalks were
     used in punishing schoolboys), rod, whip, fr. ferire to
     strike; akin to OHG. berjan, Icel. berja. Cf. Ferule.]
     1. A ferule. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
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     2. The imperial scepter in the Byzantine or Eastern Empire.
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     3. [capitalized] A genus of plants of the parsley family
        Apiaceae (of the order Umbelliferae), including some
        yielding asafetida. Members include Ferula asafoetida
        (Ferula foetida), the giant fennel (Ferula communis),
        and Ferula orientalis.
        [PJC]

  Fennel \Fen"nel\ (f[e^]n"n[e^]l), n. [AS. fenol, finol, from L.
     feniculum, faeniculum, dim. of fenum, faenum, hay: cf. F.
     fenouil. Cf. Fenugreek. Finochio.] (Bot.)
     A perennial plant of the genus F[ae]niculum (F[ae]niculum vulgare
     ), having very finely divided leaves. It is
     cultivated in gardens for the agreeable aromatic flavor of
     its seeds.
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           Smell of sweetest fennel.                --Milton.
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           A sprig of fennel was in fact the theological smelling
           bottle of the tender sex.                --S. G.
                                                    Goodrich.
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     Azorean fennel, or Sweet fennel, (F[ae]niculum dulce).
        It is a smaller and stouter plant than the common fennel,
        and is used as a pot herb.
  
     Dog's fennel (Anthemis Cotula), a foul-smelling European
        weed; -- called also mayweed.
  
     Fennel flower (Bot.), an herb (Nigella) of the Buttercup
        family, having leaves finely divided, like those of the
        fennel. Nigella Damascena is common in gardens. Nigella  sativa
         furnishes the fennel seed, used as a condiment,
        etc., in India. These seeds are the "fitches" mentioned in
        Isaiah (xxviii. 25).
  
     Fennel water (Med.), the distilled water of fennel seed. It
        is stimulant and carminative.
  
     Giant fennel (Ferula communis), has stems full of pith,
        which, it is said, were used to carry fire, first, by
        Prometheus.
  
     Hog's fennel, a European plant (Peucedanum officinale)
        looking something like fennel.
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