Plocama calabrica
Synon. Putoria calabrica
Stinking madder Μη διαθέσιμη
Rubiaceae - Madder family Dicot.
Plocama calabrica
Synon. Putoria calabrica
Stinking madder Μη διαθέσιμη
Rubiaceae - Madder family Dicot.
A low spreading shrub, Plocama calabrica, forms dark green mats on limestone rocky ground, whose appearance is unremarkable until early summer, when they become spattered with clusters of small pink, tubular flowers. The pleasant appearance of the flowering plant is decried by the unpleasant odour of the crushed leaves, which is reflected in its common English name, stinking madder; plants with the English name of madder are a source of dye.
The roots of the plant produce a red dye, which was traditionally used in many parts of Greece to stain eggs red for the Easter game of tsougrisma.
Tsougrisma
or the Red Egg Game
The ancient red egg game is played throughout Greece every Easter. The boiled eggs are dyed on Holy Thursday and kept until Easter Sunday, after midnight on Saturday they appear at any celebration and the game is played. Each player holds an egg and two eggs are clinked together, one player says “Christos anesti!”, the other responding “Alithos anesti!” - Christ is risen, truly He is risen.
The one who’s egg remains intact & cracks the others egg is the winner and will have a year of happiness and good fortune. Tsougrisma means clinking together.
plocama origin unknown
calabrica from area of Italy