Amaranthus graecizans
Linn.
Spreading pigweed, Mat Amaranth
(c) יאיר אור, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by יאיר אור
(c) AndreaC, some rights reserved (CC BY-ND), uploaded by AndreaC
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Leaves, Vegetable
The leaves are cooked as a spinach. Nutritious with a very mild flavour, they are often mixed with stronger-tasting leaves to balance a dish. The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked and are rich in starch, making them a useful cereal substitute. Though very small, they are easy to harvest and highly nutritious. When cooked whole the seeds become very gelatinous, but because the small seeds are difficult to crush completely in the mouth, some will pass through the digestive system without being fully assimilated.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a Mediterranean and tropical plant. Tasmania Herbarium. In Ethiopia it grows from 900-2,380 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Albania, Angola, Australia, Asia, Balkans, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central Asia, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinée, Hawaii, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sahara, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, St Helena, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UAE, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
An annual plant growing up to 50 cm high. The plant is sprawling over the ground. It has a taproot. The branches do not have hairs. The flowering shoots are leafy. The flowers are in small clusters. They are greenish.
Nutrition Score: 42/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves - dry | 6.3 | 903 | — | 26.1 | — | — | 9.8 | 5 |
| Seeds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seed if the soil is warm. Seeds are small and grow easily. They need to be planted near the soil surface. Cuttings of growing plants root easily.
Propagation: Sow seed in late spring directly in situ. For an earlier start, sow in a greenhouse and transplant after the last expected frosts. Germination is usually rapid and good when the soil is warm, and a drop in temperature overnight aids the process. Cuttings of growing plants root easily.
Medicinal Uses
None known
Other Uses
Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant. The plant is also noted as a dynamic accumulator.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Amaranthus graecizans, the Mediterranean amaranth or short-tepalled pigweed, is an annual species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae. It is native to Africa, southern Europe, East Asia to India and Central Asia. It is naturalized in North America. More general common names include tumbleweed and pigweed.
Production
It grows after rain and the first leaves can be harvested after 12 days.
Other Information
It is a famine food.
Notes
There are about 60 Amaranthus species. Plant in Tasmania is probably Amaranthus graecizans subsp. silvestris.
Names & Synonyms
Annass, Boo, Bouamoa, Bouraboura ba, Boyo, Buuza, Chomachi, Cumadhe, Dhadah, Embooge, Eboga, Eboo, Ekiliton, Enie, Gana, Hamle tilian, Horoqota, Imbog, Kadringo, Ladah, M'Boa, Madighi, Mchicha pori, Morli, Ndelele, Nyabutongo, Obug, Obuga, Ocobo-lango, Ocoboro, Omvuga, Onvuga, Prostrate amaranth, Rasoota, Rasuta, Rwoga, Shin sag, Sirukeerai, Telele, Terere, Tseque, W'oa, Zabine, Zapina
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