Leontice leontopetalum, Rakaf, Leontice, Lion's foot, Lion's Leaf, Lion's Turnip,
Hebrew: ערטנית השדות, Arabic: رجل الأسد

Scientific name:		Leontice leontopetalum L.
Common name:		Rakaf, Leontice, Lion's Leaf, Lion's Turnip
Hebrew name:		ערטנית השדות
Arabic name:		رجل الأسد
Family:		Berberidaceae, Barberry family, ערטניתיים

Life form:		Geophyte
Stems:		30-40cm in height, glabrous, fleshy; tuberous rhizome, stout
Leaves:		Alternate, rosette, dissected, dentate or serrate
Inflorescence:		Flowers in terminal branched racemes, a broad pyramidal spike
Flowers:		Yellow, 10-15mm, 6-8 petals
Fruits / pods:		Capsule ovoid
Flowering Period:		February, March, April
Habitat:		Shrub-steppes
Distribution:		Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts
Chorotype:		Mediterranean
Summer shedding:		Ephemeral

Derivation of the botanical name: Leontice, leon, λεων, οντιϛ, a lion; referring to the shape of the leaf. leontopetalum, Greek leonto, Lion; Latin petalum, petal; Lion's-petals. The Hebrew Name: ערטנית, artanit (New Hebrew), lion’s ear, leontice; borrowed from Syrian: ערטניתא, artenita. The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy. The tuberous roots of Leontice leontopetalum contain so much alkali that they are sometimes used as a substitute for soap.