| Menu list goes here |
Herbal Database Search Results
Back
to: Pathways Main Search
Page For Metaphysical uses
visit The Witchs Haven
Vaccaria hispanica
| Common name: |
Cow Cockle |
Family: |
Caryophyllaceae |
| Author: |
(Mill.)Rauschert. |
Botanical references: |
50, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Vaccaria vulgaris, Vaccaria segetalis (Asch.), Vaccaria pyramidata (Medik.) |
| Known Hazards: |
The seeds and other parts of the plant contain saponins[218, 240]. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm, they are also broken down if thoroughly heated[K]. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K]. |
| Range: |
C. and S. Europe, north to Belgium. An introduced and not infrequent casual in Britain[17]. |
| Habitat: |
A weed of cultivated fields[50]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Saponaria vaccaria[B,G,P]
V. hispanica subsp. hispanica[G]
V. parviflora[G]
V. vaccaria[B,G,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Cow Basil [L], Cow Soapwort [P], Cowcockle [H,B], Dokan-So [E], Koekruid [D], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
hispanica = Spanish
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Caryophyllales. Pink family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive. |
Physical Characteristics
Annual growing to 0.6m. . It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).
The plant is self-fertile.
We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
3/5 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 cannot grow in the shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Cultivated Beds.Edible Uses
Condiment
Leaves Seed.
Leaves - used as a condiment[177, 179, 183].
Seed - ground into a meal[179]. Rich in starch[179]. The seed contains 13.8
- 16.1% protein and 1.6 - 3.2% fat[218]. The seed also contains saponins, see
notes above on toxicity[218]. Composition
- Seed (Dry weight)
-
In grammes per 100g weight of food:
Protein: 15
Fat: 2.5
Source: [218]
Notes
: The report does not make it clear whether this is a zero moisture basis.
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Anodyne
Antiphlogistic Antipruritic Diuretic Emmenagogue Febrifuge Galactogogue Oxytoxic Styptic Vulnerary.
The seed is anodyne, discutient, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue,
styptic and vulnerary[147, 176, 178, 218]. A decoction is used to treat skin
problems, breast tumours, menstrual problems, deficiency of lactation and
sluggish labour[218]. The seeds are also taken internally as a
galactogogue[218]. The flowers, leaves, roots and shoots also have the same
properties[218].
The sap of the plant is said to be febrifuge and tonic[240]. It is used in
the treatment of long-continued fevers of a low type[240].
The plant is used externally to cure itch[240].
Other Uses
None known
Cultivation details
Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position[200].
Sometimes cultivated for its seed which is often added to wild bird
foods[200]. By this means, the plant is often found as an introduced casual
in Britain[200].
Propagation
Seed - sow April in situ[1].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
References for Vaccaria hispanica subsp. hispanica (a possible synonym).
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
References for Vaccaria pyramidata (a possible synonym).
References for Vaccaria segetalis (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for the family Caryophyllaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[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]).
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
[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.
[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.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
Main Search Page
Help
Bibliography
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?Vaccaria+hispanica
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Vaccaria+hispanica
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if
you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.
|
|
& (c) 2007 