Cyperus bulbosus
J. Vahl
Bush onions, Onion grass, Nut grass
(c) catrionaandphil, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Nina Kerr, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) Nina Kerr, some rights reserved (CC BY)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Bulb, Tubers, Root
The tubers are eaten raw or roasted after removing the husk, or dried and ground into flour. They are a famine food.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in tropical regions. In Australia it is inland near salt lakes. It grows in dry regions and seasonally wet grasslands. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of about 300 mm. In East Africa it grows from 300-2,400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It can grow on coastal sand dunes.
Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Mauritania, Middle East, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa,
How to Identify
A sedge. These grow in clumps and have grass like leaves and solid stalks. It is a herb. It grows 10-40 cm high. The rhizomes are slender. They produce brown to black tubers are the tips. The leaves are 10-20 cm long by 0.2-0.3 cm wide. They are flat and erect. They are shiny green. The culms are 20-40 cm tall. The spikelets are 1-3 cm long.
Nutrition Score: 59/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulb | 42.8 | 883 | 211 | 3.4 | — | 32 | 3.4 | 0.6 |
How to Grow
Plants can be grown by division or tubers. They can aso be grown from seed.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Cyperus bulbosus is a species of sedge found across Africa, the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. In Australia, it is commonly called Nalgoo or (Australian) bush onion or "wild onion", but is not related to the onion or other Alliaceae. It is a component of Australian bushfood, but is considered an agricultural weed in other areas.
Other Information
It is usually a weed in cultivated fields. It is a famine food.
Notes
Chemical composition (after Paton & Dunlop) (grams per 100g): Protein = 2.27g. Fat = 0.58g. Carbohydrate (soluble) = 82.46g. Fibre = 1.51g. Ash = 1.58g. Water = 11.60g. Calories = 353. There are 550 Cyperus species.
Names & Synonyms
Akademoit, Bid, Gaddi, Gimaru, Gohosa, Gooso, Heqeyata, Hinkicha, Ilkuroti, Morkut, Motha, Mothabasa, Nalgoo, Ngaatu, Niyalbun, Puri, Puridumpa, Rabuon-apuoyo, Shilandi arisi, Theck root, Theg, Tjanmata, Yelka
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