Echinophora spinosa

Linn.

Prickly samphire, Sea Parsnip

Apiaceae Edible: Roots, Leaves, Caution 1,466 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc0

no rights reserved, uploaded by Peter de Lange

iNaturalist· cc0

no rights reserved, uploaded by Peter de Lange

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Echinophora spinosa, the prickly parsnip, is a species of plant in the genus Echinophora found in Europe.

Description

A short hairy herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are divided 2-3 times with leaflets along the stalks. They are rigid. The lobes are thick and grooved above. There are spines at the tip. The flower umbels are white. There are 4-8 hairy rays. There are 4-8 narrow bracts. The fruit are egg-shaped with indistinct ridges.

Edible Uses

The root has a parsnip-like flavour. Young leaves can be pickled.

Traditional Uses

The roots are eaten and have a parsnip like flavour. Caution: The leaves and roots should not be eaten in large amounts.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows on coastal stands.

Where It Grows

Africa, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean, North Africa, Sicily, Spain,

Cultivation

None known

Propagation

Propagated by seed.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

References (4)

Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 155
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 285
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 40
Pasta, S., et al, 2020, An Updated Checklist of the Sicilian Native Edible Plants: Preserving the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Century-Old Agro-Pastoral Landscapes. Frontiers in Plant Science. Volume 11|Article 388