Ferula assa-foetida | |
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The first botanical illustration of Ferula assa-foetida (1712) | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Apiales |
Family: | Apiaceae |
Genus: | Ferula |
Species: | F. assa-foetida |
Binomial name | |
Ferula assa-foetida | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Ferula assa-foetida is a species of Ferula endemic to Southern Iran. [1] It is a source of asafoetida, but not the main source, although many sources claim so. The production of asafoetida from this species is confined to Southern Iran, especially the area near Lar. [2] [3] [4]
Outside its native range, other asafoetida-producing species are often misidentified as F. assa-foetida. [5] For example, F. foetida is mistaken for F. assa-foetida in Flora of the U.S.S.R. and Flora of Pakistan . [6] [7] In a molecular phylogenetic study, all the plant samples of F. assa-foetida collected in Central Iran were not the true species, but F. alliacea and F. gabrielii or their close relatives instead. [8] Chemical analyses of asafoetida samples obtained from local markets in Eastern Iran also showed that asafoetida-producing species there were F. lutensis , F. foetida, F. alliacea, etc., instead of F. assa-foetida. [2] [3]
F. pseudalliacea and F. rubricaulis are endemic to western and southwestern Iran and are sometimes considered conspecific with F. assa-foetida. [5]