Habitat
Type: waste ground
Distribution: temperate world
Other: dislikes lime

General
Growth type: herb
Cycle: annual
Height: up to 35 cm
Other:

Leaf
Shape: long
Arrangement: mostly basal rosette
Edge:deeply lobed

Flower
Shape: cross
Diameter: 2-3mm
When: February to November
Colour:

Seed
Size: tiny
Casing: heart-shaped pods

Susceptible to mould. Avoid mouldy leaves.

all year

Flavour
Rating and Description:
Plant: spicy cabbage

How to Consume
Plant: raw

Nutrition
iron, calcium, cholin, Vitamin C
35% fatty oil
Unspecified part: fumaric acid

Used as ...
food

Action:
Plant: anticancer, anti-fertility, antiscorbutic, astringent, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, haemostatic, hypotensive, oxytoxic, stimulant, vasoconstrictor, vasodilator, vulnerary

May treat:
Plant: reduces heavy bleeding, also heavy periods, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, inflammation of mucosae of digestive, respiratory and urinary tract

placed in water will kill mosquitos and their larvae; grown in salty soil will sweeten it by absorbing the salt

Drying
Best used fresh as it looses potency when dried.

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• anticancer: used in the treatment of cancer
• anti-fertility: may help prevent pregnancy
• antiscorbutic: prevents scurvy, contains Vitamin C
• astringent: causes localised contraction of blood vessels and tissue, reducing the flow of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• depurative: eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• emmenagogue: stimulates or normalises menstrual flow, in early pregnancy may induce an abortion
• fumaric acid: - the ionised form is used by cells to produce energy from food. Used to treat psoriasis. Excess may cause kidney or gastrointestinal disorders, and skin flushing. Prolonged use may cause decreased count of white blood cells. Produced in human skin by exposure to sunlight. Used as mordant for dye.
• haemostatic: controls bleeding (see astringent)
• hypotensive: reduces blood pressure
• oxytoxic/oxytocic: stimulates the contraction of the uterus aiding childbirth
• stimulant: enlivens physiological functions of the body, without giving a false sense of well-being
• vasoconstrictor: narrows blood vessels, increasing blood pressure
• vasodilator: widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure
• vulnerary: promotes healing of wounds (applied externally)