TY - JOUR
T1 - The etymological, ecological, historical and ethnobotanical roots of the vernacular names of Ecballium elaterium (Squirting cucumber)
AU - Dafni, Amots
AU - Benítez, Guillermo
AU - Blanché, Cesar
AU - Rammón-Lacad, Luis
AU - Petanidou, Theodora
AU - Aytaçf, Bedrettin
AU - Horvat, Marijana
AU - Lucchese, Fernando
AU - Geva Kleinbergeri, Aharon
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the etymological, ethnobotanical and folkloristic roots of 290 vernacular names of Ecballium elaterium in 38 languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, ecological characteristics, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, spread and history of the plant's names. The salient groups of plant’s vernacular names are related to to the plant’s "spitting" seed dispersal mechanism (26.5%) and fruit's resemblance to cultivated cucurbits (26.2 %). Another group of names employs deprecatory adjectives and relates to the donkey (13.6%) and another unrespected animals (7.6%) as well as to witche demons, and madness (5.2%). An additional set of names denotes: the unpleasant plant's bitter juice and (7.3%); plant’s medicinal use (4.1%) and its prevalence in ruderal habitats (3.5%). Most of the plant’s names relate to its appearance, seed dispersal and taste. Several names reflect ethnobotanical aspects related to its widespread medicinal use, or to its toxicity and bitterness. This general tendency indicates that E. elaterium's unusual appearance and seed dispersal mechanism are more responsible for its dialectal names than is the plant’s ethnobotany.
AB - This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the etymological, ethnobotanical and folkloristic roots of 290 vernacular names of Ecballium elaterium in 38 languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, ecological characteristics, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, spread and history of the plant's names. The salient groups of plant’s vernacular names are related to to the plant’s "spitting" seed dispersal mechanism (26.5%) and fruit's resemblance to cultivated cucurbits (26.2 %). Another group of names employs deprecatory adjectives and relates to the donkey (13.6%) and another unrespected animals (7.6%) as well as to witche demons, and madness (5.2%). An additional set of names denotes: the unpleasant plant's bitter juice and (7.3%); plant’s medicinal use (4.1%) and its prevalence in ruderal habitats (3.5%). Most of the plant’s names relate to its appearance, seed dispersal and taste. Several names reflect ethnobotanical aspects related to its widespread medicinal use, or to its toxicity and bitterness. This general tendency indicates that E. elaterium's unusual appearance and seed dispersal mechanism are more responsible for its dialectal names than is the plant’s ethnobotany.
UR - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258316561_The_etymological_ecological_historical_and_ethnobotanical_roots_of_the_vernacular_names_of_Ecballium_elaterium_Squirting_cucumber
M3 - Article
SN - 6642-3194
VL - 119
SP - 515
EP - 537
JO - The Journal of Ethnobiogy and Traditional Medicine
JF - The Journal of Ethnobiogy and Traditional Medicine
ER -