Scurvy-grass 826730 213323909 2008-05-18T20:56:57Z Selket 15822 added another name {{Taxobox | name = Scurvy-grass | image = Cochlearia excelsa.jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = ''Cochlearia offcinalis'' subsp. ''pyrenaica'' | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Brassicales]] | familia = [[Brassicaceae]] | genus = '''''Cochlearia''''' | genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = About 25 species, see text }} '''Scurvy-grass''' (''Cochlearia'' species; a.k.a. '''Scurvy grass''', '''Scurvygrass''', or '''Spoonwort''') is a [[genus]] of about 30 species of [[Annual plant|annual]] and [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[herb]]s in the [[cabbage]] family [[Brassicaceae]]. They are widely distributed in [[temperate]] and [[arctic]] areas of the [[northern hemisphere]], most commonly found in [[coast]]al regions, on [[cliff]]-tops and [[salt marsh]]es where their high tolerance of [[sodium chloride|salt]] enables them to avoid competition from larger, but less salt-tolerant plants; they also occur in [[Alpine climate|alpine]] habitats in [[mountain]]s and [[tundra]]. They form low, rounded or creeping plants, typically 5–20 cm tall. The leaves are smoothly rounded, roughly [[spoon]]-shaped (the scientific name ''Cochlearia'' derives from Latin ''cocleare'', a spoon), or in some species, lobed; typically 1–5 cm long, and with a fleshy texture. The [[flower]]s are white with four petals and are borne in short [[raceme]]s. ==Selected species== About 30 species are usually accepted; several others usually treated as subspecies of ''C. officinalis'' are accepted as distinct species by some botanists. *''[[Cochlearia acutangula]]'' *''[[Cochlearia aestuaria]]'' – Estuarine Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia alatipes]]'' *''[[Cochlearia anglica]]'' – English Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia aragonensis]]'' *''[[Cochlearia changhuaensis]]'' *''[[Cochlearia cyclocarpa]]'' – Roundfruit Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia danica]]'' – Early or Danish Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia fenestrata]]'' – Arctic Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia formosana]]'' *''[[Cochlearia fumarioides]]'' *''[[Cochlearia furcatopilosa]]'' *''[[Cochlearia glastifolia]]'' *''[[Cochlearia groenlandica]]'' – Greenland Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia henryi]]'' *''[[Cochlearia hui]]'' *''[[Cochlearia lichuanensis]]'' *''[[Cochlearia longistyla]]'' *''[[Cochlearia megalosperma]]'' *''[[Cochlearia microcarpa]]'' *''[[Cochlearia oblongifolia]]'' – East Asian Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia officinalis]]'' – Common Scurvy-grass (including ''C. excelsa'', ''C. pyrenaica'', ''C. scotica'') *''[[Cochlearia paradoxa]]'' *''[[Cochlearia rivulorum]]'' *''[[Cochlearia rupicola]]'' *''[[Cochlearia sessilifolia]]'' – Sessile-leaved or Alaskan Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia sinuata]]'' *''[[Cochlearia tatrae]]'' *''[[Cochlearia tridactylites]]'' – Three-fingered Scurvy-grass *''[[Cochlearia warburgii]]'' Two species formerly included in the genus ''Cochlearia'' are now usually treated in separate genera: * [[Horseradish]] ''Armoracia rusticana'' (previously ''Cochlearia armoracia'') * [[Wasabi]] ''Wasabia japonica'' (previously ''Cochlearia wasabi'') Cook's scurvy grass, [[Lepidium]] [[Lepidium oleraceum|oleraceum]], was used by [[James Cook]] to prevent scurvy, but is now almost extinct.[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10406289] ==Uses== Scurvy-grass was extensively eaten in the past by [[sailor]]s suffering from [[scurvy]] after returning from long voyages, as the leaves are rich in [[vitamin C]], which cures this [[deficiency disease]] resulting from a lack of fresh [[vegetable]]s in the diet. The leaves, which have a strong peppery taste similar to the related [[horseradish]] and [[watercress]], are also sometimes used in [[salad]]s. [[Scurvy-grass Sorrel]] (''Oxalis enneaphylla'') is an unrelated plant from southern [[South America]] and the [[Falkland Islands]] that was also used to treat scurvy. ==Scurvy-grass and roads== The advent of modern fast [[road]]s treated with salt in winter for [[ice]] clearance has resulted in the colonisation by scurvy-grass of many inland areas where it formerly did not occur. The scurvy-grass [[seed]]s become trapped on [[automobile|car]] [[wheel]]s, transported often for a considerable distance, and then washed off, to grow in the salt-rich soil at the side of the road where other plants cannot survive. For the rapid colonisation of a [[United Kingdom|British]] inland [[county]] between [[1989]]–[[2002]], see [http://www.wbrc.org.uk/WorcRecd/Issue12/useold.htm ''Cochlearia danica'' in Worcestershire]. <gallery> Image:scurvygras.jpg|''Cochlearia offcinalis'' on [[Bear Island]], [[Norway]] Image:Koeh-186.jpg|19th century illustration of ''Cochlearia offcinalis'' </gallery> ==References== *[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Cochlearia&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK=species Flora Europaea: ''Cochlearia''] *[http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=107484 Flora of China: ''Cochlearia'' species list] [[Category:Brassicaceae]] [[Category:Leaf vegetables]] [[es:Cochlearia]] [[fr:Cranson]] [[pt:Cochlearia]]