Cardamine sp.
Bitter cress
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Description
A cabbage family herb. Probably Cardamine africana L. or maybe Cardamine hirsuta L. A small annual plant which grows up to about 20 cm tall. The flowers have white petals and the pods are 2-3 cm long. (C. africana has thicker pods [3 mm] and 3 leaflets on the leaves. C hirsuta has pods about 1 mm thick and about 7 leaflets per leaf.
Edible Uses
Both the leaves and flowers can be eaten.
Traditional Uses
The leaves and flowers can be eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
A tropical plant. C. africana tends to be above 1500 m and C. hirsuta is often at lower altitudes. They grow naturally especially in moist shaded places around gardens.
Where It Grows
Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG,
Cultivation
Plants are self sown from seed.
Notes
There are about 160 Cardamine species. They are mostly in damp places in temperate regions.
References (1)
- French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea, A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation p 324
