Microseris scapigera
(Sol. ex Cunn.)Sch.Bip.
Asteraceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Yam Daisy
General Information
Microseris scapigera is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
,
154- Title
- Flora of Victoria.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ewart. A. J.
- Publisher
- University Press; Melbourne
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.
Range
Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. New Zealand.
Habitat
Grassland and open places on North, South and Stewart Islands in New Zealand[
]. Loamy soils or moist clay up to the montane and sub-alpine zones in Australia[
154- Title
- Flora of Victoria.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ewart. A. J.
- Publisher
- University Press; Melbourne
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.
]. Also found on salt pans[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 0.30 m |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
We do not have much information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. The Australian form is said to be hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. Plants are likely to require a well-drained soil in a sunny position.
This is a polymorphic species that is found in both New Zealand and in Australia. Some botanists have separated off the Australian form as a distinct species, M. lanceolata[
,
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
], which is here used as a synonym.
An alpine form in the Snowy mountains of Australia has fibrous roots too thin to be worth eating[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
The plant has been suggested for commercial cultivation in temperate zones for its edible root[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Edible Uses
Root - raw or cooked[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. Sweetish and moist[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
] with a coconut flavour[
154- Title
- Flora of Victoria.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ewart. A. J.
- Publisher
- University Press; Melbourne
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.
]. The root tastes like a sweet potato with an occasional hot taste[
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
]. It is said to be delicious[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. The root is between 2 and 8cm long[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. A favourite food of the Australian Aborigines, who ate the roots in quantity[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. The root can be harvested all year round but it tastes bitter at certain times of the year, especially in early winter[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter, planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring might be possible.
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