Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Fagopyrum esculentum

Edible: Seeds, Leaves, Flowers

An upright annual herb up to 1 m high. It spreads to 1 m across. It has angular hollow stems. These are erect and branching. Leaves are heart shaped or triangular and small. It has groups of white or pink flowers. These have a smell. They occur in clusters at the ends of branches. Fruit are small and 3 angled. The plants are not grasses but the seeds are normally grouped with other grain crops.

It is a temperate plant. It can be grown at high altitudes in the tropics. It will grow on poor soils. It prefers rich soils and a protected sunny position. It can grow in acid soils. It is resistant to frost but damaged by drought. In Nepal it grows between 1000-2500 m altitude. It can grow up to 4,400 m altitude. In Uttar Pradesh it grows up to 3000 m altitude. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Buckwheat, Japanese buckwheat, Silverhull buckwheat, Al-Hintta, Al-Swdaa, B lei, Brank, Bro, Buchweizen, Chutia lofa, Daran, Dayat, Dhemsi sak, Dongthe, Doron, Fafra, Fagopiro, Gamrus, Grano saraceno, Helangala, Ka-la, Koti, Kotu, Kyoubaku, Lompuk, Mach ba-goc, Mariwo, Memil, Mithe phaper, Navadna ajda, Notch-seeded buckwheat, Obul, Ogla, Ogli, Oogal, Phanpar, Phapar, Phaphar, Phaphara, Phaphra, Qiao mai, Sagad, Saracen, Sarrasin, Shari-mam, Soba, Tian qiao mai, Titaphapur, Trigo-sarraceno, Varimbazahamainty, Wakha-yendem

Synonyms: 

Fagopyrum cereale Raf.;
Fagopyrum sagittatum Gilib. [Invalid];
Fagopyrum vulgare Hill, nom. inval.;
Polygonum emarginatum Gilib.;
Polygonum fagopyrum L.;
and others