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Apium australe

Common name:		Family:	Umbelliferae
Author:	Thouars.	Botanical references:	69
Synonyms:	Apium prostratum (Labill. pro parte)
Known Hazards:	Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[218].
Range:	Southern S. America.
Habitat:	Damp places in all more or less open coastal habitats, less commonly in wet places inland to elevations of 75 metres in Tierra Del Fuego and north latitude to 35°s[69].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Allium prostratum[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Prostrate Marshwort [B,P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	australe = southern;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m. . The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Root; Seed.

Leaves - raw or cooked[69]. A salty taste, it is used as a flavouring in soups etc. Used like celery[69]. The leaves can also be eaten raw but have a very strong flavour.
Root[69]. No further details.
Seed - used as a flavouring in soups etc.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Waterproofing.

Used for pads to make canoes watertight[69].

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country.
Plants are likely to prefer a rich moist soil with some shade in the summer.
The crushed leaves smell strongly of celery[193].
The New Zealand form of this plant is now known as A. filiforme, (syn A. prostratum filiforme [q.v.]).
The Australian form of this plant has been moved to A. prostratum and only the S. American form is left under this name[K].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Germination can take a month or longer. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring.

Scent

Leaves: Crushed: The crushed leaves smell strongly of celery.

Suppliers

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

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Allium prostratum (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Apium prostratum (a possible synonym).

[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.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

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.

[69] Moore. D. M. Flora of Tierra del Fuego. Anthony Nelson. 1983 ISBN 0-904614-05-0
Standard work for this part of S. America. Excellent details of habitat and a few notes on plant uses.

[193] Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989 ISBN 0-207-14383-8
Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[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.

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?Apium+australe
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Apium+australe

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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.