Calandrinia balonensis

Lindley

Broad leafed Parakeelya, Rock Purslane

Montiaceae Edible: Seeds, Leaves, Roots Potential hazards — see below 122 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Calandrinia balonensis is a dwarf annual or perennial reaching 10 cm tall with frost-tender growth. It bears hermaphroditic flowers pollinated by insects. The plant thrives in light sandy soils, tolerates poor soil nutrition, and grows in mildly acid to basic and saline conditions. It requires full sun, adapts to both dry and moist soils, and handles drought well.

Description

A small annual succulent herb. It grows 10-30 cm high and spreads 50-100 cm wide. The flower stems sticks upwards and does not have leaves. The leaves are flat and 4-12 cm long. by 1-2 cm wide. They are sword shaped. The flowers are usually pinkish-purple. They have 5 petals. The flowers are 2.5 cm across. The fruit are small cone shaped capsules. The capsule has 3 valves. They have many small seeds.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Root Seed Edible Uses: Leaves - raw. The leaves contain oxalic acid and so some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - raw or ground into a meal. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, especially since it ripens intermittently over a period of several weeks. Root - raw or cooked.

Traditional Uses

The whole plant is baked and the leaves eaten. The seeds are ground and made into bread.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Known Hazards

The plant contains oxalic acid, so it should only be used in moderation. Oxalic acid can lock up certain of the nutrients in food and, if eaten in excess, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It is, however, perfectly safe in small amounts and its acid taste adds a nice flavour to salads. Cooking the plant will reduce the quantity of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Distribution

They are tropical and subtropical plants. It grows in arid parts of Australia. It grows in a range of locations on a variety of soils. It needs well drained soil. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Australia,*

Cultivation

Prefers a hot sunny situation on a poor dry sandy soil. This species is not very hardy in Britain, but it should be possible to grow it as a tender annual in this country. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance, they are best treated as half-hardy annuals and sown in situ in late spring. In frosty climates this species can become a self-sowing annual, the seed germinating in spring.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in situ in spring since it strongly resents root disturbance. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 20°c. In frost-free climates plants can also be propagated by means of cuttings.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Notes

There are between 50-100 Calandrinia species. It has also been put in the family Portulacaceae.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Seed	5.5	1796	430	14.7	—	—	—	—
Leaves	93	84	20	1.2	—	—	0.3	—

Synonyms

Claytonia balonensis F. v Muell.

Also Known As

Parkilypa

References (20)

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Blomberry, A.M., 1979, Australian Native Plants. Angus and Robertson p 167
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 188
Cancilla, D., 2018, Ethnobotanical and Ethnozoological Values Desktop Assessment - Eliwana Project. p 41
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 164, 189

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