Common Name:

General Information

Boopis australis is a low-growing perennial plant with a rhizomatous rootstock. It grows around 10 - 30cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern S. America - Argentina, Chile

Habitat

Open sands and gravels by the coast and estuaries, to elevations of 60 metres, from Tierra Del Fuego and north to latitude 39°s in Argentina[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Boopis australis is found from the cold temperate regions of Tierra del Fuego north to warm temperate regions of Argentina at elevations from sea level to 1,750 metres.
The plant is found in a variety of soil types in the wild, including sandy, clayey, rocky and saline. It is likely to be resistant to maritime winds. It will probably require a well drained soil and a sunny position, and will be more likely to be killed by winter wet than by cold[].

Edible Uses

Root - roasted[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - possibly best sown in a greenhouse in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.