Next Chapter in the Legend of Silphion: Preliminary Morphological, Chemical, Biological and Pharmacological Evaluations, Initial Conservation Studies, and Reassessment of the Regional Extinction Event

Abstract

Silphion was an ancient medicinal gum-resin; most likely obtained from a Ferula species growing in the Cyrene region of Libya ca. 2500 years ago. Due to its therapeutic properties and culinary value, silphion became the main economic commodity of the Cyrene region. It is generally believed that the source of silphion became extinct in the first century AD. However, there are a few references in the literature about the cultivated silphion plant and its existence up to the fifth century. Recently, a rare and endemic Ferula species that produces a pleasant-smelling gum-resin was found in three locations near formerly Greek villages in Anatolia. Morphologic features of this species closely resemble silphion, as it appears in the numismatic figures of antique Cyrenaic coins, and conform to descriptions by ancient authors. Initial chemical and pharmacological investigations of this species have confirmed the medicinal and spice-like quality of its gum-resin supporting a connection with the long-lost silphion. A preliminary conservation study has been initiated at the growth site of this rare endemic Ferula species. The results of this study and their implications on the regional extinction event, and future development of this species will be discussed.

Reassessing the Role of Anthropogenic Climate Change in the Extinction of Silphium

“…Depictions of silphium's stalk on ancient coinage also reveal a vertical striation (Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021), an exceptionally notable feature that differentiates silphium from many modern Ferula species. Another distinctive feature of silphium was the opposite arrangement of its foliar branches which attached to the stalk with overlapping sheaths (Bostock and Riley, 1855;Hort, 1916;Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021). This contrasts the alternate branching pattern of most large Ferula species (Miski, 2021).…”

“…Silphium's taxonomic classification has been extensively studied through a multidisciplinary approach, paying special attention to ancient literature and artwork analyzed with a modern scientific perspective. Numerous scholars have conducted this style of research in hopes of identifying silphium or its closest living relative (Sprengel, 1807;Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021). Silphium's classification as a large Ferula-like species within the Apiaceae family is undisputed amongst modern scholars (Amigues, 2004).…”

“…Silphium's classification as a large Ferula-like species within the Apiaceae family is undisputed amongst modern scholars (Amigues, 2004). While we remain skeptical that silphium's closest living relative can be determined with absolute confidence, we recognize that many of the plant's morphological features are broadly accepted in the modern literature, due in part to the combined presence of detailed ancient literary descriptions and artistic depictions of silphium's morphology (Bostock and Riley, 1855;Hort, 1916;Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021). The following section, while not an exhaustive overview of current knowledge by any means, highlights the most notable and verifiable traits of the silphium plant and its living relatives.…”

“…Another distinctive feature of silphium was the opposite arrangement of its foliar branches which attached to the stalk with overlapping sheaths (Bostock and Riley, 1855;Hort, 1916;Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021). This contrasts the alternate branching pattern of most large Ferula species (Miski, 2021). Further up the stalk, the sheathed branches gave rise to large flowering umbels, from which fruit developed.…”

“…Further up the stalk, the sheathed branches gave rise to large flowering umbels, from which fruit developed. Silphium produced a double-seeded fruit that split into two separate carpels upon maturity (Amigues, 2004;Miski, 2021). These seeds were described as "leaf-like" by Theophrastus, who aptly named them "phyllon" (Hort, 1916).…”