Asphodelus ramosus, also known as branched asphodel, is a perennial herb in the Asparagales order. It has been thought to be Homer's asphodel of the underworld, but so has the closely related Asphodeline lutea. The branched asphodel is known to contain colchicine, a chemical used in the treatment of gout.
Its leaves, growing to a height of 60 centimetres (24 in)–80 centimetres (31 in), contain alkaloids that are harmful to sheep and goats in the wet, winter months, but during the summer when their leaves dry out, they lose their toxicity.
