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Apium nodiflorum

(L.) Lag.

Crescione, Creeping marshwort, Water parsnip

Apiaceae Edible: Leaves, Seeds sprouts, Seeds - flavour, Stems

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Konrad and Roland Greinwald, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Konrad and Roland Greinwald, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

iNaturalist· cc-by

(c) bernhard_hiller, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Description

A stout hairless herb which takes 2 years to complete its life-cycle. The stems are hollow and lie along the ground. They form roots at the lower nodes. The leaf stalks and flower stems are upright. The leaves are alternate and light green. The leaves have oval leaflets with blunt teeth. The flowers are white and in the nodes of leaves. The seeds are oval

Edible Uses

Wild fool's watercress has been traditionally harvested and consumed in several Mediterranean countries, including Spain, Italy, Portugal and Morocco The edible young leaves and tender shoots can be used raw in salads, boiled, or used as a condiment in soups and other dishes.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are used raw in salads. They are also boiled and used in soups and stews. The seeds can be sprouted and eaten in salads. The seeds are also ground and used as a mustard. The young stem are eaten boiled, fried or raw in salads.

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in wet meadows and near rivers. It is usually in chalk and limestone areas. It cannot grow in shade.

Where It Grows

Africa, Argentina, Britain, Chile, Cyprus, Europe, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily, South America, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye,

Notes

There are about 20 Apium species.

Synonyms

Helosciadium nodiflorum (L.) KochSium nodiflorum L.and others

Also Known As

Accio selvagge, Api bord, Bendik, Berra, Berraza, Creixem, Crescione, Crisciuni, Kurrat al a'in, Pie-cress, Scavuni, Spelendro, Tatli gerdeme, Ziyata

References (26)

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  • Biscotti, N. & Pieroni, A., 2015, The hidden Mediterranean diet: wild vegetables traditionally gathered and consumed in the Gargano area, Apulia, SE Italy. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 84 (3): 327-338
  • Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24 (As Helosciadum nodiflorum)
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