Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Nephrolepis hirsutula

Edible: Shoots

A coarse fern with creeping rootstocks. It keeps growing from year to year and forms dense colonies. The stem is erect producing a tuft of fronds. The stalks are 10-40 cm long and pale brown. The fronds are narrow with leaflets. The fronds are 0.3 to 1.2 m long and 8 to 15 cm wide. They are erect or arch over. The leaflets are 5-10 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The base has a narrow, triangle shaped lobe. There are rounded teeth along the edge. The plant grows both on the ground and on other plants. It is smaller than Nephrolepis biserrata. The fertile leaflets are more narrow than the sterile ones. The spore bodies or sori are near the edge of the leaf.

A tropical plant. Widely distributed in low and medium altitudes in the Philippines. Common in Asia and the Pacific. It is normally in lowland areas near rainforest. It is very frost tender.

Common Names: Alolokdo, Ammokadede, Handifangivah, Handifilaa, Julia, Keesfilaa, Kohuku, Lau maile kimoa, Pakis kincha, Pakis pedang kasar, Paku andam, Paku jeler, Paku sepat, Saqato, Scaly swordfern, Te keang

Synonyms: Probably now Nephrolepis multiflora
Polypodium hirsutulum Forst.f.;
Nephrolepis exaltata var. hirsutula (Forst.f.) Bak.;

Nasturtium officinale

Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Herb, Spice, Vegetable

A cabbage family herb. It is a small leafy plant that grows in water and lasts for several years. It grows 30 cm high and has runners 2.5 m long. It has hollow stems and roots freely from the nodes. It branches freely. The leaves consist of 3 to 7 pairs of small leaflets then a larger leaflet at the end. The flowers are small and white and grow grow in a cluster. Flowers are not always produced and need days with more than 12 hours of sunlight to form. A small narrow curved seed pod about 2 cm long can develop. It grows attached to the banks of streams.

This is a temperate climate crop. It is common in tropical highland creeks especially those flowing off limestone hills. (pH 6.5-7.5) It needs to be in running water. In the tropics it occurs from about 1000 m up to at least 2900 m altitude. It grows in streams, ditches, lakes, swamps, marshes from near sea level to 3700 m altitude in China. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 4,100 m above sea level. It grows in wetlands. It suits plant hardiness zones 6-10. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Acice, Agriaun, Agriao, Awa, Berro, Berro de agua, Berros, Brunnenhresse, Chu-lba-thpu, Chungol, Ciotole, Credou, Creisoun, Creixens, Crescione acquatico, Cresson de fontaine, Dou ban cai, Gerdeme, Gernounej, Gurnounch, Huwaireh, Ip komp, Kalanso, Kambere, Kapisi vai, Kenchi, Kiji, Kizmase, Komba, Kreson, Kuwmba, Kuzala, Kuzele, Lauridde, Lira, Lut-putiah, Mizu garashi, Ok 'oruro, Ota karesi, Pakimbita, Pa nan, Phak nam, Piriya halim, Qije, Sai yeung ts'oi, Salada air, Salada chai, Salade, Sawade, Sayur paret, Selada ayer, Selada sawah, Shimrayo, Shuicai, Silang-sag, Sim rayo, Sim sag, Su teresi, Talib shah, Talmera, Talmira, Tara mira, Tarmera, Taung-kya-gale, Termera, Tharmere, Tujik, Tusmask, Tuzik, Uotakuresu, Waci, Wakari, Xa lach xong, Xi yang cai, Ye qing cai

Synonyms: 

Arabis nasturtium Clairv.;
Baeumerta nasturtium P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Schreb.;
Cardamine aquatica (Garsault) Nieuwl.;
Cardamine fontana Lam.;
Cardamine nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Borbas;
Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) H. Karst., nom. inval.;
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.;
Radicula nasturtium Cav., nom. illeg.;
Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Rendle & Britten;
Rorippa nasturtium Beck, nom. illeg.;
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek;
Rorippa officinale (R. Br.) P. Royen;
Sisymbrium nasturtium Thunb., nom. illeg.;
Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L.;

Nelumbo nucifera

Edible: Seeds, Root, Tuber, Leaves, Stamens, Rhizomes, Seeds - coffee, Vegetable, Fruit, Flowers, Tea

A herb which grows in water and continues growing for several years. The rootstock is under water and creeping. The leaf stalk grows 1-2 m high. The leaves can be 20-90 cm across. It has large round leaves which stand out of the water. The stalk joins to the centre of the leaf. It has large attractive pink, red or white flowers which stand out of the water on long stalks. Flowers are pink or white and 15 to 25 cm across. The flower stalk can be longer than the leaf stalk. The mature fruit is a spongy cone shaped structure with several seeds about 1 cm across under the holes in the top. These fruit can be 7-15 cm long. The edible rhizome is submerge in mud.

It is a tropical plant but will grow in cooler places. It needs 20-30°C. It needs full sunshine. It can grow in deep water. It does best in fresh water. The pH can range from 5.6-7.5. It grows in wetlands. It is common in some parts of the Philippines such as Laguna de bay. It is also reported from Camarines, Mindoro, Cotabato and Davao. It will probably grow up to about 1000 m altitude. It occurs in the Fly and Sepik River areas in Papua New Guinea. It is cultivated in most of China except the very northern areas. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Common Names: Ambal, Ambuj, Ambuja, Aravinda, Baino, Bhen, Bhishi chya biya, Bhisikandda, Bua-luang, Bua-sai, Bunga padam, Bunga telpok, Chhouk, Chinese lotus, Dhala padma, Dhepra, Erra-tamara, Furong, Hasu, He flower, Hehua, He ye, Indijski lotos, Kalung, Kamal-kakri, Kamal, Kamala, Kankadi, Kanwal, Kokomba, Lian, Lin ngau, Lin, Loto, Lotosblume, Lotus cina, Nadroo, Nelum, Nelumbo, Nelun-ala, Ngau, Padam, Padda, Padda bihar, Padema, Padma, Padon-ma-kya, Padum, Pamposh, Pankaja, Parani baha, Pavan, Pink lotus-lily, Padda phul, Poddo gota, Podum, Purni punp, Renkon, Sacred Lotus lily, Salkub sanga, Salukid ba, Sen, Senthamara, Seroja, Sivapputamarai, Soh-lapudong, Suriyakamal, Tamburu, Tabare beru, Tavare beru, Tavaregadde, Teratai, Thamara, Thamarai, Thambal, Thambou, Thamou, Upal ba, Yavanti, Yeonkkot

Synonyms: Nelumbo caspica Eichw.;
Nelumbo komarovii Grossheim;
Nelumbo nelumbo (L.) Druce, nom. inval.;
Nelumbo nucifera var. macrorhizomata Nakai;
Nelumbo speciosum Willd., nom. illeg.;
Nelumbium speciosum Willd.;
Nymphaea nelumbo L.;
Nelumbium nelumbo (L.) Druce;

Nephrolepis biserrata

Edible: Roots, Fronds, Rhizome, Vegetable, Leaves

A tufted fern with slender runners. The rhizomes have scales. The fronds can be up to 2.5 m long, erect and bright green. They are divided once. It is a coarse woody fern that grows in tangled colonies. These small plants grow from the branched wiry runners. The spore bearing bodies are round and lie in a row between the midrib and leaf edge.

It is a tropical plant. It prefers open or lightly shaded areas often along rocks. It can grow as an epiphyte on the trunks of palms. It is very frost tender. It probably grows up to about 1000 m altitude. It can tolerate some salt. Often it is in wet areas in soil with a high humus content.

Common Names: Asaha, Broad sword fern, Dageang, Dakeang, Julia, Likekele, Pakis pedang raksasa, Paku harupat, Paku kubok, Paku larat, Paku uban, Pau bulat, Saqato, Sulufe, Te keang

Synonyms: 

See Nephrolepis auriculata (L.) Trimen
Nephrolepis acuta Presl.;

Nephrolepis cordifolia

Edible: Roots, Tubers, Fronds, Leaves, Tea

A fern. It can grow in the soil or attached to other plants. It keeps growing from year to year and forms large colonies. It grows about 30-120 cm high. The roots often bear tubers. These can be 1 cm long. The stalk of the fern frond is stiff and brown and often is slightly scaly. It is 10-30 cm long. The fronds are narrow and divided into leaflets along the stalk. The fronds are 30-120 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. The leaflets are many and do not have a leaf stalk. The leaflets are 1-3.5 cm long by 0.4-1 cm wide. There are blunt teeth along the edge. The bases overlap. The spore bodies are kidney shaped. They are close to the leaf edge. It produces fleshy tubers along the runners.

It grows in tropical and subtropical places. In Nepal it grows between 500-2400 m altitude. It will grow in dark places and dry atmosphere. It can tolerate frost. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Common Names: Bagan fern, Boston fern, Feng huang, Hidum uli, Ladder fern, Narrow sword fern, Pakis umbi pedang, Pani amala, Pani saro, Qiu jue, Rasmada, Shusni shak, Sword fern, Ta-wai

Synonyms: 

Polypodium cordifolium L.;
Aspidium cordifolium (L.)Sw.;
Aspidium tuberosum Bory ex Willd.;
Nephrolepis tuberosa (Bory ex Willd.)C. Presl.;
and others

Colocasia esculenta - Taro

Edible Portion: Corm, Leaves, Stalks, Vegetable, Root, Flowers

This plant has large flat leaves on the end of upright leaf stalks. It grows up to 1 m high. The leaf stalk or petiole joins the leaf towards the centre of the leaf. The leaves are 20-50 cm long. Near the ground a thickened rounded corm is produced. Around this plant their is normally a ring of small plants called suckers. Many different varieties occur. If left to maturity, a lily type flower is produced in the centre of the plant. It has a spathe 15-30 cm long which is rolled inwards. The flowers are yellow and fused along the stalk. There are many named cultivated varieties.

Taro comes in two basic forms. The Dasheen type Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta and Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum or the Eddoe type. The basic difference is the adaptation of the Eddoe type to storage and survival in seasonally dry places, while the dasheen type needs to be maintained in a more or less continuously growing vegetative stage. These are now recognised as separate species names.

Dactyloctenium aegyptium - Comb Fringe Grass

Edible Portion: Seeds, Cereal, Rhizome, Root

An annual grass. The stems are slender. They can lie along the ground. These can form roots at the nodes. They can have runners and form mats. It is 15-60 cm high. The edges of the leaf sheaths have small hairs. The leaf blades are flat and 5-20 cm long by 0.2-0.6 cm wide. The surfaces are lumpy/hairy. It tapers to the tip. The flowers spread like fingers on a hand. There are 2-9 flower stalks. They are long and narrow. They often spread out horizontally. The spikes are on one side of the stalk. The tip is bare. The seed grains are about 1 mm across.

Hordeum vulgare - Barley

Edible Portion: Seeds, Cereal, Seeds - Tea

An erect annual grass. It grows 80-120 cm tall. The nodes are solid and the internodes are hollow. The leaves are narrow.  There are 5-10 leaves. They are produced alternately on opposite sides of the stem at the nodes. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped and 5-40 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The flowers are greenish. Flowers have long awns. The fruit is a grain. It is oval and narrow. There are a range of named cultivated varieties.

Ipomoea batatas - Sweet Potato

Edible Portion: Tuber, Root, Leaves, Vegetable

This is a root crop which produces long creeping vines. The leaves are carried singly along the vine. Leaves can vary considerably from divided like fingers on a hand to being entire and rounded or heart shaped. At the end of the vine, trumpet shaped flowers grow. They are purple. Under the ground fattened tubers are produced. There are a large number of varieties which vary in leaf shape and colour, tuber shape, colour, texture and in several other ways.

Manihot esculenta - Cassava

Edible Portion: Root, Leaves, Flowers, Vegetable

A plant which can re-grow year after year from the thickened roots. It has several stems. The stems are woody and have some branches. Plants grow up to 2 or 3 metres high. Stalks have distinct scars where leaves have fallen. The leaves tend to be near the ends of branches. The leaves are divided like the fingers on a hand. The leaves have long leaf stalks. The leaves have 3-7 long lobes which can be 20 cm long. These are widest about 1/3 of the distance from the tip and taper towards the base. The colour varies. It produces several long tubers. These can be 50 cm long by 10 cm across. The flowers are on short stalks around a central stalk. They are produced near the ends of branches. The female flowers are near the base of the flower stalk and the male flowers higher up.