Standing tall at the entrance of Dwejra’s stunning lagoon on Gozo’s west coast, Fungus Rock - known in Maltese as 'Il-Gebla tal-General' (The General’s Rock) - is more than just a dramatic limestone pillar. Rising 60 meters above the sea, this tiny islet has a history wrapped in mystery, medicine, and even a little deception.
During the rule of the Knights of St. John, a peculiar tuber growing on Fungus Rock was believed to possess extraordinary medicinal properties. Cynomorium coccineum, misleadingly dubbed the 'Maltese Fungus', was prized for its supposed ability to treat ailments ranging from dysentery and anaemia to erectile dysfunction and wounds. The plant was so valuable that Grand Master Pinto declared the rock off-limits in 1746, making it illegal for anyone but authorised knights to harvest it.
To protect this so-called miracle cure, Grand Master Pinto decreed the Rock out of bounds in 1746 - trespassers risked a three-year spell as oarsmen in the Knights' galleys. The Grand Master posted a permanent guard there and ordered the sides smoothed to make climbing it impossible. He built a precarious cable-car basket from the rock to the mainland, 50 metres away, for the knights to retrieve the plant, while the nearby Dwejra Tower served as a watchpoint against intruders. The Maltese Fungus was even gifted to distinguished visitors as a rare and prestigious token.
Despite its name, the Maltese Fungus is not a fungus at all, but a parasitic plant. Even more ironically, it is not exclusive to Fungus Rock or even to Malta! The plant also grows in other parts of the Mediterranean, stretching as far as Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
While the plant may not be unique to the islet, Fungus Rock is home to an exclusive resident: Podarcis filfolensis ssp. generalensis, a rare subspecies of the Maltese wall lizard. This lizard, distinguishable by its reddish belly and blue-tinged flanks, is endemic to this tiny rock, making it a true biological treasure.
Declared a nature reserve, Fungus Rock remains off-limits to the public, protected for nearly 300 years and counting. Though its medicinal myths have been debunked, the rock continues to be a fascinating symbol of history, science, and natural beauty in the Maltese Islands.
Had you ever heard this fascinating story?