Asteliaceae FAMILY

Porophyllum ruderale

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Porophyllum ruderale is an erect, usually rather sparsely branched annual plant growing 20 - 100cm tall[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ]. All parts of the plant are malodorous[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ]. The edible leaves, especially of the subspecies macrocephalum, are a popular flavouring and vegetable, and are commonly harvested from the wild, being also used medicinally. They are also cultivated and are sometimes sold in local markets[ 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/ , 1169 Title Monograph of the plant genus Porophyllum (Compositae: Helenieae). Publication University of Kansas Science Bulletin 48 225-257 Author Johnson R.R. Publisher Year 1969 ISBN Description An in-depth treatment of the genus Porophyllum ]. In addition to being cultivated as a food crop, the subspecies macrocephalum is often found as a weed of waste and disturbed ground in its native habitat. It was introduced into the Galapagos as a food, where it has escaped from cultivation and is now classed as an invasive weed[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeS. America - Bolivia, Peru, northern Brazil; C. America - Panama to Mexico; N. America - Arizona, New Mexico, Texas.

HabitatA weed of disturbed soils[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ]. Brushy rocky slopes or plains, most often in sandy soil, frequently on sandbars along streams, at elevations of 200 - 1,200 metres[ 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/ ]. Ephemerally wet sites in desert mountains; 1,000 - 1,500 metres[ 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. ].