Nymphaeaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Euryale ferox

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Euryale ferox is a perennial water plant growing from a short rhizome in water that can be up to 5 metres deep. A type of water lily, it produces a rosette of large, spine-covered leaves that, when mature, float on the surface of the water. The plant is frequently cultivated for food in China and India[ 183 Title Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications Year 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 Description Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world. ], indeed it is said to have been cultivated in China for about 3,000 years[ 63 Title Nuts. Publication Author Howes. F. N. Publisher Faber Year 1948 ISBN - Description Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable. ]. The seeds are normally available in Chinatown markets in the West[ 183 Title Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications Year 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 Description Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world. ]. Euryale ferox covers a wide geographic range. It is mostly a cultivated plant and is extensively used in China for several purposes such as food and medicine. No major threats to this species have been reported. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar.

HabitatStill and slowly flowing water in ponds and lakes in lowland, C. and S. Japan[ 58 Title Flora of Japan. (English translation) Publication Author Ohwi. G. Publisher Smithsonian Institution Year 1965 ISBN - Description The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader. , 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ].