Cyperus esculentus
Nutsedge ( Cyperus esculentus )
The nutsedge ( Cyperus esculentus ), also known as tiger nut, is a plant of the genus Zypergräser ( Cyperus ) in the family of the Sedge family ( Cyperaceae ). It comes from the Mediterranean area.
Appearance
The yellow nutsedge is a perennial herbaceous plant, the plant height up to 60 cm (rarely to 100 cm) reach. It forms long underground runners ( stolons ) have with bulbous swellings, the diameter up to 15 mm. The upright stems are triangular and have a white stripe. The bright green, V -shaped with parallel venation, simple leaves are 5 to 10 mm wide.
The inflorescence contains many long, foliage leaf-like bracts and up to 10 cm tall spikes. These have the back on rounded, yellowish - brown husks with distinct nerves. The flowers are white. The flowering period extends from July to September.
Use
The brown, round, pea-sized, oil-rich tubers (there are the thickenings of the stolons ) are edible and are traded in Southern Europe and West Africa. The tubers are known as amandes de terre in France, in Spain as chufa [' tʃufa ]. The taste of the tubers is reminiscent of hazelnuts or almonds.
Tiger nuts were introduced by the Arabs in the 8th century Spain. In the Valencia region, the tiger nut is grown in the district Huerta Norte. There, the drink Horchata de chufa is ( tiger nut milk ) made from the chufa. Erdmandelflocken be used for constipation or as a reducing diet, because the feeling of hunger is suppressed by the fiber.
In the Valencia region the nutsedge in the months of March and April is planted on loamy- sandy soils from a minimum soil temperature of 12 ° C. The sedge plant requires a mild Mediterranean climate 13 to 25 ° C and abundant irrigation. The tubers are harvested from October to December and dried in special chambers.
Cyperus esculentus is a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals - particularly of cadmium and lead - and therefore takes place in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with application. Such soils are about screes from the zinc and copper mining (Thailand), and by the sewage from Gerber and dye -loaded riverside and Sickergebiete (India, Bangladesh).
Ingredients of yellow nutsedge
Chufas consist of more than 25% from fat, from about 30 % starch and 7% from protein. They are high in unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, vitamin H and rutin as well as many minerals.
The nutsedge as a neophyte
Chufas count in many regions to the aggressive neophytes, displace indigenous plant species. Therefore, some authors they are among the worst weeds in the world ( the "world 's worst weeds" ). Today problematic deposits were hemerochor probably inadvertently dragged along with Gladiolenzwiebeln. Makes it one of the speirochor abducted plants.
In contrast to the rhizomes and tubers of conventional root weeds, the tubers of yellow nutsedge remain after drying viable even for years. This favors a spread on agricultural equipment. Another is distributed through the field mice, they procrastinate as winter stock in their construction. The tubers are not frost hardy, but because they are located at a depth of 10-30 cm, they die only with strong permanent Frost.
In the Netherlands, have developed from it as a weed since 1970 problematic mass occurrence. Since 1984 there are specific control programs.