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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 22:16:06 GMT -5
Parochetus communis.
Does it have any edible or medicinal uses?
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Post by atash on Feb 14, 2012 12:45:58 GMT -5
I don't know, but it's probably about as edible as any other "clover". It grows like a clover and can probably be used for similar purposes.
Be advised that it does not much like intense heat or intense cold. Heat and drought make it go dormant (or possibly kill it), while a deep freeze (not a problem for you I suppose) will kill it.
That reminds me, I have some seed for it that needs to be sown. I had a clump of it but a severe winter thinned it out, then aggressive weeds finished it off.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2012 13:04:00 GMT -5
Did you believe this was more of a sorrel or a legume?
I haven't been able to find any uniquely detailed descriptions, online -- just the same, few blurbs, copied and pasted, ad nauseum.
I did find that there are two, blue pea oxalis'.
The African one is supposedly cold sensitive, but the Himalayan / Asian one is not.
I have 10 seeds of the Himalayan one coming, and would be pleased to share, if it becomes established.
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Post by toad on Feb 14, 2012 16:46:13 GMT -5
Have it in my garden, I believe it's a legume. It's a shy bloomer here, but seems to take our winters without protection.
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Post by stevil on Feb 15, 2012 4:53:28 GMT -5
Have it in my garden, I believe it's a legume. It's a shy bloomer here, but seems to take our winters without protection. It was quite a common garden plant in my area. I used to have it, but it died one winter. Not sure if it has survived elsewhere in this area the last two extremely hard winters. Yes, it is a legume - www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/ild-8010 Never heard of it being used for anything apart from as an ornamental ground cover ... Stephen |
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Post by atash on Feb 15, 2012 12:48:48 GMT -5
It's not an Oxalis and references to it as such are a poor name for it.
>>I haven't been able to find any uniquely detailed descriptions, online -- just the same, few blurbs, copied and pasted, ad nauseum. <<
It looks just like a clover, except that the flowers are strikingly and unmistakably BLUE. True blue flowers are rare, and most flowers referred to as "blue" in the eastern USA and Europe are clearly some shade of purple or periwinkle.
"Roses are red and violets are purple".
Anyway, the leaves have an attractive pattern on them, it creeps along by runners that run along the surface of the ground, pretty much like Dutch clover, the flowers are individual instead of in clusters as most but not all clovers are.
It fixes nitrogen just like most of its kind, but I do not know if a native bacterium will inoculate it. Might be worth examining some roots to see if they contain nodules.
Maybe the Himalayan form is hardier; I would never have guessed it would easily survive in Denmark. The Kenyan form is marginal here.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2012 10:38:19 GMT -5
P. communis is the Himalayan / Asian one. The other is P. africanus. Both share the same, common name.
Parcohetus is planted as green fertilizer and fodder in tropical countries, but I have yet to hear of culinary or medicinal uses.
Seeds are small, but I wonder whether cross pollination could confer cold tolerance to annual Fabiaceae.
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