Golden samphire

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox |name = Golden samphire |image = Inula crithmoides.jpg |genus = Limbarda |species = crithmoides |authority = (L.) Dumort. |synonyms = *''Eritheis maritima'' Gray *''Inula crithmoides'' L. *''Jacobaea crithmoides'' (L.) Merino *''Inula acutifolia'' Pasq., syn of subsp. ''longifolia'' |synonyms_ref = <ref name=fanni>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Limbarda+crithmoides |title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species |accessdate=13 January 2015}}</ref> }}

The '''golden samphire''' (''Limbarda crithmoides'') is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt marsh or sea cliffs across western and southern Europe and the Mediterranean.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-38989-synthese |title=Inule fausse criste, ''Limbarda crithmoides'' (L.) Dumort. with photo and French distribution map|work=Tela Botanica |access-date=16 October 2022 |language=French}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=limbarda+crithmoides |title=Flora Italiana, Enula bacicci, Golden Samphire, ''Limbarda crithmoides'' (includes photos and European distribution map) |work=Altervista |access-date=16 October 2022 |language=Italian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maltawildplants.com/ASTR/Inula_crithmoides.php |work=Malta Wild Plants |title=Comprehensive profile for ''Inula crithmoides'' |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Limbardacrithmoides_page.htm |work=Flowers in Israel |title=''Limbarda crithmoides, Inula crithmoides, Jacobaea crithmoides, Eritheis maritima,'' Golden samphire, <big>בן-טיון בשרני , طيون ملحيطيون ملحي</big> |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000004398 |work=National Biodiversity Network, Natural History Museum, Joint Nature Conservation Committee |title=''Inula crithmoides'' L. [Golden-samphire<nowiki>]</nowiki>] includes links plus distribution map for United Kingdom and Irish Republic |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref>

Golden samphire has a tufted habit, and the plant may grow up to 1 m tall. It has narrow fleshy green to yellow green leaves and large flower heads, with six yellow ray florets which may be up to {{convert|1.5|-|2.5|cm|0|abbr=on}} across. The flowers are self-fertile (able to pollinate themselves) and may also be pollinated by bees, flies and beetles. They bloom between June and October and can smell like shoe polish.<ref name=Gibson>Chris Gibson {{google books|GC_BBQ1cRnwC|Seashore: A Unique Photographic Guide to the Coastal Wildlife of Britain and Europe (2008)|page=14}} {{ISBN|9781405328623}}</ref>

==Taxonomy== It was first described by Carl Linnaeus as ''Inula crithmoides'' in his book ''Species Plantarum'' 2 on page 883 in 1753 and then later when the genus was renamed, it was published as ''Limbarda crithmoides'' by Barthélemy Charles Joseph Dumortier in Fl. Belg. on page 68 in 1827.<ref>{{cite web |title=Limbarda crithmoides {{!}} International Plant Names Index |url=https://www.ipni.org/n/230899-1 |website=www.ipni.org |accessdate=29 May 2020}}</ref>

It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 11 June 2015.<ref name=grin>{{GRIN | accessdate=30 May 2020}}</ref>

Known subspecies:<ref name=fanni/> * ''Limbarda crithmoides'' subsp. ''crithmoides'' * ''Limbarda crithmoides'' subsp. ''longifolia'' (Arcang.) Greuter

==Distribution and habitat== It is native to temperate parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.<ref name=grin/>

===Range=== It is found in Africa, within Algeria, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. In Asia, it is found in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.

Europe, within Ireland, United Kingdom (where it is mostly found in the Isle of Sheppey),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grieve |first1=Margaret |title=A Modern Herbal, Vol. II |date=2013 |isbn=9780486317311 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCDCAgAAQBAJ&dq=Golden+samphire&pg=PA710}}</ref><ref>J. S. Rodwell and C. D. Pigott {{google books|tK0K_9BYkBMC|British Plant Communities: Volume 5, Maritime Communities and Vegetation of open habitats (2000)|page=107}}</ref> Albania, Croatia, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia and Sicily), Malta, Montenegro and Slovenia. Also within south-western European countries of France (incl. Corsica), Portugal, Spain (incl. Baleares).<ref name=grin/>

==Uses== Young leaves may be eaten raw or cooked as a leaf vegetable.<ref name="The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe">The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe published by Collins 1974 {{ISBN|9780002112789}}</ref> It was formerly sold in markets in London for uses in pickles.<ref>Margaret Grieve {{google books|kCDCAgAAQBAJ|A Modern Herbal, Volume 2 (1971)|page=710}}</ref>

In Lebanon, it was evaluated for use in saline agriculture.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zurayk |first1=R. A. |last2=Baalbaki |first2=R. |title=Inula crithmoides: A candidate plant for saline agriculture |journal=Arid Soil Research and Rehabilitation |date=1996 |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=213–223 |doi=10.1080/15324989609381436 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150616020246/http://www.arkive.org/limbarda/limbarda-crithmoides/image-G122594.html Wildscreen Arkive, Limbarda (Limbarda crithmoides)] photo

Category:Inuleae Category:Leaf vegetables Category:Halophytes Category:Flora of Asia Category:Flora of North Africa Category:Flora of Europe Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus