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Bongardia chrysogonum

Common name:		Family:	Berberidaceae
Author:	(L.)Griseb.	Botanical references:	74, 200
Synonyms:	Leontice chrysogonum (L.), Bongardia rauwolfia (C.A.Mey.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	N. Africa to W. Asia - Syria to Iran.
Habitat:	Steppes, amongst field crops on clayey and solonetzic slopes[74].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	chrysogonum = golden start
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Ranunculales. Barberry family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.15m by 0.2m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in flower in May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Leaves Root.

Tuber - baked or boiled[2, 74, 105, 183].
The leaves are eaten raw or cooked in the same manner as sorrel[2, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antispasmodic.

A treatment for epilepsy[89].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained sandy soil[1, 200]. Strongly dislikes wet conditions[1]. Plants must have hot, dry conditions during their summer dormancy and must not be allowed to become too wet in winter, therefore they are best grown in a bulb frame[90, 130, 200].
Plants can be very long lived[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the greenhouse[200], putting about 3 -4 seeds in each pot. Use deep pots since the seedlings produce a contractile root that can pull themselves down to a depth of 15 - 30cm before sending up their first leaf[130]. The seed germinates in autumn and the first leaf appears in the spring[130]. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for at least 3 years before planting them out.
Division is sometimes suggested as a means of increase, but is not possible for this species[130].

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 the family Berberidaceae.

To be included in 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

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[89] Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1
A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[130] ? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants, including Distylium racemosum and some perennial members of the family Berberidaceae.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[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.

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
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