Nitraria schoberi
Linn.
Nitre-bush, Dillon bush
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(c) Сергей, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Сергей
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(c) Svyatoslav Knyazev, some rights reserved (CC BY)
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(c) Богданович Светлана, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaNitraria schoberi, the nitrebush (a name it shares with other members of its genus), is a species of flowering plant in the family Nitrariaceae. It has an Irano-Turanian distribution. Its fruit, edible and salty-sweet, are collected by local peoples and eaten fresh or preserved. Archeological evidence shows that people have been eating the fruit since Epipalaeolithic times.
Description
A spreading shrub. It grows 1-2 m tall. The small branches can have spines. The leaves are thick and oblong to wedge shaped. They are 1-4 cm long. The flowers are small and white. The fruit are like olives. They are 1-2 cm long. They are red or purple and slightly salty.
Edible Uses
The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a pleasant, slightly salty flavour, though can be somewhat insipid. Fruit can also be cooked and preserved for winter use.
Traditional Uses
The fruit are like olives and are edible.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
None known
Distribution
It is a temperate plant.
Where It Grows
Australia, Caspian, Central Asia, Europe, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Tibet,
Cultivation
Not known 193
Propagation
Seed.
Other Uses
None known
Synonyms
References (5)
- Black, J. M., 1924, Flora of South Australia. Part 11. Casuarinaceae-Euphorbiaceae,
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 249
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 442
- Plants for a Future.
- Syst. nat. ed. 10, 2:1044. 1759
