Myosoton aquaticum
(L.)Moench.
Caryophyllaceae
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: Water Chickweed
General Information
Myosoton aquaticum is a Annual/Perennial up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Range
Europe, including Britain but excluding the Arctic, east through temperate Asia.
Habitat
Marshes, fens, streamsides, ditches and damp woods at low altitudes[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual/Perennial |
| Height | 0.60 m |
| Pollinators | Flies, bees |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
See details above on native habitat for ideas on the plants cultivation needs.
Edible Uses
Young leaves and stems - cooked[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
178- Title
- Chinese Materia Medica.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Stuart. Rev. G. A.
- Publisher
- Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
]. Sweet and tender[
178- Title
- Chinese Materia Medica.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Stuart. Rev. G. A.
- Publisher
- Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
,
179- Title
- Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Reid. B. E.
- Publisher
- Southern Materials Centre; Taipei
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
], they are very rich in minerals[
179- Title
- Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Reid. B. E.
- Publisher
- Southern Materials Centre; Taipei
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
]. A famine food that is only used in times of scarcity[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].
Medicinal
A decoction of the leaves is used as a galactogogue[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
The plant is used in the treatment of fistula[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - probably best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
