From Sturtevant's Edible Plants Of The World
by E. Lewis Sturtevant
Tropaeolum
edule Paxt. Geraniaceae (Tropaeolaceae).
Chile. Mr. Bridges, writing in the Journal of
Botany, 1842, says the roots are eaten in times of scarcity in Peru.
T.
majus Linn. INDIAN CRESS. TALL NASTURTIUM.
Peru.
The plant is grown more for ornament than for food purposes, but the
flowers and young leaves are frequently used to mix in salads, and the
seeds, gathered while young and green, are used for pickling and as an
excellent substitute for capers. "The seeds of this rare and faire
plant came first from the Indies into Spaine and those hot regions, and
from thence into France and Flanders, from whence I have received seeds
that hath borne with me both flowers and seeds," says Gerarde, 1597. We
cannot agree with those authors who consider this the dwarf form, as
the figure given comes nearer to the tall, as it was figured by J.
Bauhin, in his works printed in 1651, with the name scandens, 33 years
before its introduction by Linnaeus. Ray, 1686, speaks of its use as a
vegetable, and this use is also spoken of by Townsend, 1726. In
American gardens, this nasturtium was noticed by McMahon, 1806, and by
all the early garden writers as being the predominant kind in culture.
The synonymy is as follows:
Nasturtium
Indicum. Cam.Icon. t. 31. 1588.
Nasturtium
Indicum. Indian cresses. Ger. 196. 1597.
Nasturtium
indicum folio peltato scandens. Bauh, J. 2:75. 1651.
Cardamindum
ampliore folio and
majore flore. Feuille, Peru. 3: t. 8. 1725.
T.
minus Linn. DWARF NASTURTIUM.
Peru.
The Dwarf nasturtium was first brought into Europe from Peru, where it
is a native. It reached England in 1596 and is described by Gerarde as
coming from the Indies into Spain and thence into France and Flanders,
whence he received seeds. The plant, like the tall nasturtium, is grown
principally as an ornament, but the flowers and leaves and green fruit
may be used in salads or for pickling. This species seems to have been
first known in Europe about 1574; was described by Monardes; is figured
by Lobel, 1576; and is generally spoken of about this period as a new
and rare plant. It was in the vegetable garden in England in 1726,
probably before, and is mentioned in American gardens in 1806.
T.
pentaphyllum Lam. FIVE-LEAVED NASTURTIUM.
Brazil
and Chile. This species furnishes an edible cress. It bears a
three-lobed, sweet, fleshy, edible berry, black, juicy and not unlike
in
appearance and flavor to the Zante, or currant, grape.
T.
sessilifolium Poepp. & Endl.
Chile.
Philippi says this is one of the most eligible of the species of this
genus for its tubers, which can be eaten even in a raw state.
T.
tuberosum Ruiz & Pav. PERUVIAN NASTURTIUM.
Bolivia
and Peru; long cultivated on the Peruvian Andes for its tuberous roots.
The tubers are called ysano, are yellow and red and about
the size
of small pears. They are cooked and then frozen before being eaten; the
women of La Paz are very fond of this frozen dish.
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