Portulacaceae FAMILY

Calandrinia ciliata

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains oxalic acid, so it should only be used in moderation[ 144 Title Wild Food in Australia. Publication Author Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Publisher Fontana Year 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4 Description A very good pocket guide. ]. Oxalic acid can lock up certain of the nutrients in food and, if eaten in excess, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It is, however, perfectly safe in small amounts and its acid taste adds a nice flavour to salads. Cooking the plant will reduce the quantity of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ].

Botanical Description

Calandrinia ciliata is a prostrate to spreading, succulent annual plant, much-branched from the base; it can grow 3 - 40cm tall[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The seeds and leaves were an important food source for many native peoples in California and were harvested from the wild in quantity. They are still harvested from the wild for local use. This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed[ 277 Title Plants Database Publication Author Website http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet Publisher United States Department of Agriculture Year 0 ISBN Description An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeWestern N. America - British Colombia to California, through Mexico to El Salvador; S. America - Venzuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile

HabitatOpen grassy places, disturbed areas and cultivated fields, mainly in grassland, at elevations below 1,800 metres[ 71 Title A California Flora. Publication Author Munz P.A. & Keck D.D. Publisher University of California Press; Los Angeles Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader. , 277 Title Plants Database Publication Author Website http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet Publisher United States Department of Agriculture Year 0 ISBN Description An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants. ]. Open banks or fields, often on limestone or in sand, sometimes in Alnus forest, often abundant in cultivated fields[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].