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Anredera cordifolia

Common name:	Madeira Vine	Family:	Basellaceae
Author:	(Ten.)Steenis.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:	Boussingaultia cordifolia (Ten.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. America - Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina.
Habitat:	Not known
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Boussingaultia baselloides[H] Boussingaultia gracilis[B,P] Boussingaultia gracilis var. pseudobaselloides[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Heart-leaf Madeira-vine [B], Heartleaf Madeiravine [P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	cordifolia = heart shaped leaves;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Caryophyllales. Basella family
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds	From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
	Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive.

Physical Characteristics

Perennial Climber growing to 9m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Root.

Root - cooked. We were supplied this plant by a friend who said that the root is edible. We have not seen any reports on its edibility. The raw root is crisp and pleasant when first put in the mouth, but soon degenerates into a mucilaginous mass described by some people as 'like eating catarrh'[K]. When well baked, the root loses this quality and is quite pleasant to eat[K].
Leaves cooked. Used as a spinach[264].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained humus-rich soil and a position in full sun or good indirect light[200]. Established plants are drought tolerant[200].
We have very little information on this plant. The top growth is almost certainly not frost-hardy, though plants have continued growing in a polyhouse when other sensitive plants have died back as a result of frost damage[K]. The roots are likely to be hardier and, especially if well mulched, should survive most winters outdoors in the milder areas of the country. They are unlikely to survive sharp or persistent frosts. It should be possible to harvest the roots in the autumn after the top growth has been killed by frost and then store them in a cool but frost-free place for the winter, planting out in late spring (perhaps starting them off in a greenhouse beforehand)[K].
A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the thin branches of other plants[K].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this plant, but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in the spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in spring after the last expected frosts.
Softwood cuttings.
Division. Dig up the tubers at any time from late autumn to early spring. Store them in a cool but frost-free place and either pot them up in the greenhouse in early spring or plant them directly outside in late spring.

Scent

Flowers: Fresh: The flowers are scented like mignonette[264].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Boussingaultia cordifolia (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for the family Basellaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[264] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995 ISBN 0 333 62640 0
Excellent and easily read book with good information and an excellent collection of photos of vegetables from around the world, including many unusual species.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Anredera+cordifolia
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.