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Common Name: Pale Bastard Toadflax

General Information

Comandra pallida is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.40 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

There is a report that the plant can be toxic to mammals.

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America - Manitoba to British Columbia and south to Texas.

Habitat

Dry hills and plains[]. Sandy or open rocky ground in Texas[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.40 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil[].
A parasitic plant obtaining at least some of its nutrients from the roots of other plants[, ]. It is said to parasitize over 200 different species of plants in the wild[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[, , ]. A sweet flavour[]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[].
The small round seeds are eaten like nuts by children[].

Medicinal

The plant is narcotic[]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of headaches and externally as a foot bath to treat corns[].
The plant has been used to treat sore eyes and sores on the body and also as a mouth wash for canker sores[].

Other Uses

A blue dye is obtained from the area next to the root bark[].

Propagation

Seed - stratify for 3 months at 5°c and then sow in the greenhouse in a pot with a suitable host. Plant out when it is well established close to a mature host plant[].