Asperugo procumbens

German madwort

BoraginaceaeLeaves

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(c) Oskar Gran, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

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(c) Martin Jiroušek, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Martin Jiroušek

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

The leaves are roasted with onions. The root is used as a substitute for madder.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry places. It can grow in arid places.

Africa, Albania, Argentina, Asia, Canada, Central Asia, China, Egypt, Europe, Himalayas, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Nepal, North Africa, Russia, South America, Tajikistan, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bhutan, Botswana, Belarus, Canada, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Switzerland, Cote d'Ivoire, Chile, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Djibouti, Denmark, Algeria, Ecuador, Estonia, Egypt, Eritrea, Spain, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, United Kingdom, Georgia, French Guiana, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Croatia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Madagascar, North Macedonia, Mali, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritania, Malta, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sierra Leone, San Marino, Senegal, Somalia, Suriname, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Syria, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A herb. It lies along the ground. It grows each year from seeds. It can be a climber. It grows 90 cm tall. The stems are slender and hollow with 5 or 6 ribs along them. The lower stem leaves have leaf stalks and are spoon shaped. They are 5-8 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. Stem further up the stem do not have stalks and become smaller. The flowers are blue.

Medicinal Uses

Used in medicine as a tranquiliser and mood elevator.

Other Information

The root is used as a substitute for madder,

Notes

There is only one Asperugo species. It is used in medicine as a tranquiliser and mood elevator.

Names & Synonyms

Gepa mihe, Bost bergik, Guriza nermik

References (5)

Demir, I. & Ayaz, N., 2022, Wild edible plants contributing to the traditional foods of Mardin (Turkey) Province. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol 21(3), July 2022, pp 569-582
Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 4th April 2011]
Urgamal, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Nyambayar, D. & Dulamsuren, Ch. 2014. Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia. (Editors: Sanchir, Ch. & Jamsran, Ts.). Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. “Admon“ Press. 334pp. (p. 79-90).
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew