Erodium cicutarium

Erodium cicutarium, also known as common stork's-bill, redstem filaree, redstem stork's bill or pinweed, is a herbaceous annual – or in warm climates, biennial – member of the family Geraniaceae of flowering plants. It is native to Macaronesia, temperate Eurasia and north and northeast Africa, and was introduced to North America in the eighteenth century, where it has since become naturalized, particularly in the deserts and arid grasslands of the southwestern United States.

Description

An annual herb. The stems are creeping or can curve upwards. They are 20-30 cm long. The leaves are deeply divided and 10 cm long. They are feather-like. The flowers are pink. They occur in clusters of 1-9 on the ends of branches. The fruit have long slender beaks. It is a very variable plant.

Edible Uses

Young leaves, harvested in spring before the plant flowers, are tasty and nutritious eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. They work well in salads, sandwiches, and soups, and can substitute for beet, plantain, sow thistle, or amaranth leaves in recipes. Young stems can be eaten raw. Children have traditionally chewed the root as a gum.

Traditional Uses

The young plant is cooked and eaten or also eaten raw. They can be added to salads, sauces, omelettes, sandwiches, or soups. The bottom of the young fruit is chewed.

Medicinal Uses

The whole plant is astringent and haemostatic, and has been used to treat uterine and other bleeding. The root and leaves have been eaten by nursing mothers to increase milk flow. Externally, the plant has been used as a wash for animal bites and skin infections. A poultice of the chewed root can be applied to sores and rashes. A tea made from the leaves is diaphoretic and diuretic, and an infusion has been used to treat typhoid fever. The leaves are soaked in bath water to treat rheumatism. The seeds contain vitamin K, and a poultice made from them is applied to gouty typhus.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in grassland. In temperate China it grows on flood plains between 700-2,200 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Algeria, Arabia, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azores, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Islands, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Europe*, Falklands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Siberia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Yugoslavia,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown by seeds or by division of the roots.

Propagation

Sow seed in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer, or alternatively in late spring. Germination usually takes place within 3 weeks.

Other Uses

A green dye obtained from the whole plant requires no mordant. The remnants of the styles are highly hygroscopic and can be used in hygrometers and as weather indicators. Dried plant powder has been mixed with watermelon seeds during storage and planting to help prevent watermelon disease.

Other Information

It is cultivated.

Notes

There are about 60 Erodium species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Alfilaria, Alfileres, Alfilerillo, Cachu loica, Carota selvaggia, Derzidank, Derzikepire, Filaree, Iglica, Ignelik, Karga didagi, Kocakarı iğnesi, Mam darzila, Navadni čapljevec, Pin grass, Pirexalace, Pirxalack, Redstem filaree, Relojito, Sagdandan, Sahatoka, Savartskhela, Storksbill, Turnagagas, Wild musk

References (55)

• W. Aiton, Hort. kew. 2:414. 1789
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 202
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 114

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