Ferula communis
Ferula communis, the giant fennel, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. It is somewhat related to common fennel, which belongs to another genus, Foeniculum, also in the family Apiaceae.
Ferula communis is a tall herbaceous perennial. It is found in Mediterranean and East African woodlands and shrublands. It was known in antiquity as Laser or narthex.
In Sardinia two different chemotypes of Ferula communis have been identified: poisonous and non-poisonous. They differ in both secondary metabolites patterning and enzymatic composition.
The phenolic compound ferulic acid is named for the giant fennel, from which it can be isolated.
In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus gave mortals fire by hiding it in the plant's hollow stalk.
