Claytonia perfoliata
Ordinary plate herb ( Claytonia perfoliata )
The ordinary plate herb ( Claytonia perfoliata; Syn. Montia perfoliata ( Donn ex Willd ) Howell ), also Cuban spinach, winter purslane or purslane (or Winterpostelein ) called ( lettuce in the English language Miner's, Spring Beauty, or Indian lettuce ), is a plant belonging to the family of Montiaceae. The species is originally native to western North America, in Central and Western Europe, it occurs as a neophyte. It is cultivated in Central Europe only a few years. It is hardy and is therefore occasionally used as a winter vegetable.
Naming
The species name perfoliata ( = with by mature leaves ) and the German name plate herb related to the high leaves of the plant, which surround the stem surface. Cuba spinach means the plant because settlers brought back from North -West America to the Caribbean, from where they came to Western Europe over Australia in 1749. The name ' miner's lettuce ' and ' indian lettuce ' received the ordinary plate herb finally, because Indians and miners used it as a salad plant.
Occurrence
The home of the ordinary plate herb is in the mountain and coastal regions in western North America, from the southern Alaska and central British Columbia to Central America. The most common cause in California in the Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley. Today, there is also widespread in Central and Western Europe, in the southern hemisphere it was naturalized in Australia and New Zealand, more adventitious deposits are located in southern Argentina.
In Central Europe, the ordinary cabbage dish especially in the northwestern lowlands is common. It grows in fields and short-lived weeds corridors and appears after the first heavy spring rain.
After Ellenberg ordinary plate herb is a semi-shade to semi - light plant, it shows default heat to heat, freshness, weak bases and abundance of nitrogen and tolerates no salt or heavy metals.
Description and ecology
It is a fleshy annual plant reaches the stature heights of 10 to 30 cm and forms a rosette. The first basal leaves are rhombic ovate, long -stalked fleshy. Later leaves growing below the inflorescence in pairs to leaves together that look as if a single circular sheet from being punctured by stems. These bracts can be up to 30 mm in diameter. Above these leaves from February to May or June, the flowers in groups of five to 40 The small white or pink flowers are hermaphrodite, the petals are 2-4 mm long. Reproduction takes place by self-pollination. The chromosome number is 2n = 36
This plant provides habitat for caterpillars of the species Annaphila abdita, A. arvalis, A. diva and Hyles lineata. The plant can not be confused with other species due to the unusual leaf shapes.
Subspecies
From ordinary plate herb, there are four geographically defined subspecies, which have separated from each other in North America:
- Claytonia perfoliata subsp. perfoliata. From this subspecies other variants are known.
- Claytonia perfoliata subsp. inter montana.
- Claytonia perfoliata subsp. mexicana.
- Claytonia perfoliata subsp. utahensis.
Ingredients
The leaves contain vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and iron, but little of the unwanted nitrate which is often a problem in other lettuce plants.
Cultivation, kitchen, recipes
The seeds of Cuba spinach germinate at a temperature below 12 ° C and are therefore sown in the period from September to March (hence winter purslane ). The Cuba spinach sold in shops comes almost exclusively from greenhouses. The harvest is carried out at an early stage of growth. If the tender leaves are not cut too deep, multiple harvests are possible in the season from November to April. For storage, placing the fleshy leaves of the ordinary plate herb loose in a covered bowl with a damp cloth. So the leaves a maximum of six to eight days remain preserved in a refrigerator at 2-4 ° C.
The ordinary plate herb is edible almost in its entirety: young leaves, stems and flowers can also raw, older leaves are eaten rather just cooked. Raw leaves are very similar in taste to the lamb's lettuce, but with less flavor. Cooked they taste similar to spinach.
- Raw: Ideal are young leaves, stems and flowers when available. All together as a salad with hard-boiled egg halves, as well as oil and vinegar.
- Cooked: Leaves and stems are boiled in a little water until they are tender, young parts more than 3 to 4 minutes, the washed roots just as short. With butter and some spice, a flavor similar to developed water chestnuts.
Ethnobotany
The ordinary plate herb has been consumed not only by miners during the California Gold Rush. Evidence is there also on the use as a food and medicinal herb by Native Americans. Thus, the Shoshones are to have the plant used in poultices for rheumatic pain. The Nlaka'pamux they used for eye pain and Mahuna drank the juice in appetite. To its use as food, there is evidence in several other Indian tribes.