The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.
The origin of the apricot is disputed. It was known in
Armenia during ancient times, and has
been cultivated there for so long, it is often thought to have originated
there. Its scientific name Prunus armeniaca (Armenian plum) derives from
that assumption.
In Europe,
apricots were long considered an aphrodisiac,
and were used in this context in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream,
and as an inducer of childbirth, as depicted in John
Webster's The Duchess of Malfi.
Due to their high fiber to volume
ratio, dried apricots are sometimes used to relieve constipation or induce
diarrhea. Effects can be felt after eating as few as three.
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