Family: Plantaginaceae Genus: Digitalis

Species: Digitalis thapsi L.

Common Name(s): Spanish foxglove, Spanish peaks, mullein foxglove

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Digitalis thapsi, commonly known as Spanish foxglove or Spanish peaks, is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, growing in the mountains and rocky plains of the central and central-western parts of Spain and Portugal. It prefers sunny, open and disturbed places, and flowers in its natural environment from June to July.

Etymology

The Latin word digitalis means finger, and the blossoms of this flower fit the human finger almost perfectly. Throughout the years, this plant has evoked nicknames such as bloody fingers, deadman’s bells, ladies’-thimbles, and dog’s fingers. The French name choices were “gants de notre dame” meaning Our Lady’s gloves, and “doigts de la Vierge” meaning the Virgin’s fingers. The German names were fingerhut, finger-hat, or thimble. Given these popular nicknames, the botanist Leonhard Fuchs selected the Latin name of Digitalis, “pertaining to the finger,” when he classified the genus.165

Cultural Significance

In Spain, children engage in a game known as “pedorretas,” where the aim is to hold a flower in one’s hand, close its mouth, and then swiftly smash it onto the forehead of an unsuspecting target, creating a startling noise.166

Traditional Medicine

In Spain, Spanish foxglove has traditionally been used for a variety of purposes. It has been employed as a treatment for heart conditions, particularly to regulate heart rhythm and strengthen heart function. It has also been utilized for its diuretic effects, promoting increased urine production.167

Goat and sheep herders have frequently turned to this plant to rid their herd of parasites, likely Wohlfahrtia magnifica, found in their flock’s anal and genital areas. They achieved this by applying the plant’s crushed leaves to the affected area, resulting in the parasites dropping off within a few hours.168

Notes on Toxicity

The flowers and leaves of this plant are highly toxic not only to humans but also to livestock, which generally avoid eating it. In times when food was scarce, goats occasionally ate the flowers of this species and became intoxicated. Symptoms of intoxication in goats included twisting their necks to one side, constantly waving their tails, and walking with their heads raised, which caused them to separate from the herd. To cure this intoxication, known by Spanish herders as “ravera,” the herder would bleed the goat by making a cut in its tail. If the poisoning was not treated, it could result in death.169