Nyctaginaceae FAMILY

Mirabilis expansa

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Mirabilis expansa is a low, compact, herbaceous, perennial plant growing up to 100cm tall[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. This species is occasionally cultivated for its edible root in the Andes, where there are some named varieties[ 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. , 196 Title Lost Crops of the Incas Publication Author Popenoe. H. et al Publisher National Academy Press Year 1990 ISBN 0-309-04264-X Description An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America. ]. Many factors such as the plant's daylength requirement, are unknown but the plant seems to have potential as a food crop from the higher tropics to the temperate areas of the world[ 196 Title Lost Crops of the Incas Publication Author Popenoe. H. et al Publisher National Academy Press Year 1990 ISBN 0-309-04264-X Description An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeS. America - Andes, from central Chile to Peru.

HabitatOpen areas such as hillsides and canyon slopes, usually in loose, well-drained soils[ 434 Title Flora of Peru Publication Author Macbride. J.F. Publisher Field Museum of Natural History Year 1936 ISBN Description An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet. ]. Found in areas subject to strong winds and near constant chill; at elevations above 2,700 metres[ 196 Title Lost Crops of the Incas Publication Author Popenoe. H. et al Publisher National Academy Press Year 1990 ISBN 0-309-04264-X Description An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America. ].