Moricandia arvensis

(L.) DC.

Purple mistress

Brassicaceae Edible: Leaves 1,967 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Moricandia arvensis, the purple mistress, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It has a broadly western Mediterranean distribution, from the Canary Islands to northern Africa including Mauritania and Chad, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and as far as Greece, and has been introduced to France, Corsica, and Sardinia. It has an intermediate C3–C4 carbon fixation system, known as C2 photosynthesis.

Description

A short herb. It grows for a few years. The stems are branched. The leaves are near the base. They are fleshy and like a cabbage. They are oval with blunt teeth. The upper leaves are smaller and heart shaped. They clasp the stem. The flowers are purple to violet. They are about 2 cm across and in loose arrangements. The fruit is a pod 3-8 cm long. It is slightly square in cross section.

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten cooked as a vegetable and used in stews, and the plant is also used as a spice or flavouring.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are eaten cooked as a vegetable. They are used in stews. It is also used as a spice of flavouring.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows in rocky places and on old walls. It grows on limestone soils.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Europe, Italy, Mediterranean, Morocco, North Africa, Sicily, Spain, Tunisia,

Notes

There are about 6 Moricandia species.

Synonyms

Brassica arvensis L.Eruca arvensis (L.) Nouletand several others

Also Known As

Collejon basto, Krumb ej-jmel

References (9)

Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 67
Geraci, A., et al, 2018, The wild taxa utilized as vegetables in Sicily (Italy): a traditional component of the Mediterranean diet. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:14
Lentini, F. and Venza, F., 2007, Wild food plants of popular use in Sicily. J Ethnobiol Ethnomedicine. 3: 15
Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 349
Nassif, F., & Tanji, A., 2013, Gathered food plants in Morocco: The long forgotten species in Ethnobotanical Research. Life Science Leaflets 3:17-54

Show all 9 references

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
Rivera, D. et al, 2006, Gathered Mediterranean Food Plants - Ethnobotanical Investigations and Historical Development, in Heinrich M, Müller WE, Galli C (eds): Local Mediterranean Food Plants and Nutraceuticals. Forum Nutr. Basel, Karger, 2006, vol 59, pp 18–74
Tardio, J., et al, Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain. Botanical J. Linnean Soc. 152 (2006), 27-71
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew