Fabaceae FAMILY

Amphicarpaea bracteata

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Amphicarpaea bracteata is an annual to perennial, climbing plant with slender stems from 20 - 200cm long that scramble over the ground and twine into the surrounding vegetation. The plant was a common food of several Native American tribes, and is still often gathered as a tasty wild food. The plant also has medicinal uses. It has occasionally been cultivated for its edible seed, which has been used as a peanut substitute[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEastern and central N. America - Saskatchewan to New Brunswick, south to Texas and Florida

HabitatCool damp woodlands[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. , 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. ]. Dry or moist woodlands, along roadsides, and in prairie ravines[ 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. ].