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Microseris scapigera

Common name:	Yam Daisy	Family:	Compositae
Author:	(Sol. ex Cunn.)Sch.Bip.	Botanical references:	44, 154
Synonyms:	Scorzonera scapigera, Microseris lanceolata ((Walp.)Sch.Bip.), Microseris forsteri
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. New Zealand.
Habitat:	Grassland and open places on North, South and Stewart Islands in New Zealand[44]. Loamy soils or moist clay up to the montane and sub-alpine zones in Australia[154]. Also found on salt pans[193].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	scapiger = with a stalk scapigera = with a stalk
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.3m. . The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 4/5 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 cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root - raw or cooked[2, 46, 61]. Sweetish and moist[144] with a coconut flavour[154]. The root tastes like a sweet potato with an occasional hot taste[173]. It is said to be delicious[193]. The root is between 2 and 8cm long[193]. A favourite food of the Australian Aborigines, who ate the roots in quantity[193]. The root can be harvested all year round but it tastes bitter at certain times of the year, especially in early winter[193].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

We do not have much 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 at least in the milder areas of the country. The Australian form is said to be hardy to at least -7° c in Australian gardens[157], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. Plants are likely to require a well-drained soil in a sunny position.
This is a polymorphic species that is found in both New Zealand and in Australia. Some botanists have separated off the Australian form as a distinct species, M. lanceolata[44, 157], which is here used as a synonym.
An alpine form in the Snowy mountains of Australia has fibrous roots too thin to be worth eating[193].
The plant has been suggested for commercial cultivation in temperate zones for its edible root[193].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter, planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring might be possible.

Suppliers

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

Web References

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

[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.

[44] Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961
The standard work, in 3 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[144] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
A very good pocket guide.

[154] Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.

[157] Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

[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

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.
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