Ornithogalum umbellatum Doves dung is the bulb of a lovely white flower that grows abundantly throughout the Holy Land. The stalk grows to about six inches and its long, ribbon-like leaves are a clear green. This bulb was valued in times of famine because it was dug up, dried, roasted and was eaten roasted or ground into flour. Even in Italy today, the bulbs are eaten like chestnuts after roasting or cooking. For centuries Syrians used it for food.
Wormwood is found in the Bible relating to bitterness.
The bitter juice is produced by Artemisia, a genus named after the Greek goddess Artemis. The common wormwood of England has the name mugwort. Oil of wormwood is a source of absinthe. In ancient times the herb was steeped in wine to counteract the effect of alcohol. Consequently, snakes are not supposed to enter a garden where wormwood grows.