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Herbs & Plants

Thlaspi arvense

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Botanical Name: Thlaspi arvense
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Thlaspi
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Brassicales

Synonym: Pennycress.

Common Names: Field penny-cress,Pennycress

Habitat : Thlaspi arvense occurs in Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa, W. Asia, Siberia and Japan. It grows in waste places and a weed of cultivated ground where it can be a serious pest.

Description:
Thlaspi arvense is an annual plant , it grows to 0.6 m (2ft).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The leaves are small and narrower, smooth, toothed, arrow-shaped at the base. The flowers are small and white, growing on long branches, the seed-vessels form a round pouch, flat, with very broad wings, earning for the plant its other name of Pennycress. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, self.The plant is self-fertile..…..CLICK  &  SEE  THE  PICTURES 
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils. Dislikes shade.

Propagation : Seed – sow in situ in March or April.

Part Used: Seeds.

Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Leaves; Oil; Seed.

Young leaves are eaten raw or cooked. They should always be harvested before the plant comes into flower or they will be very bitter. Even the young leaves have a somewhat bitter flavour and aroma, and are not to everyone’s taste. They can be added in small quantities to salads and other foods. They can also be cooked in soups or used as a potherb, they taste somewhat like mustard but with a hint of onion. For a leaf, it is very rich in protein. The seed is ground into a powder and used as a mustard substitute. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads.

It was formerly an ingredient in the Mithridate confection, an elaborate preparation used as an antidote to poison, but no longer used in medicine.

Constituents: Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Leaves (Dry weight)
*0 Calories per 100g
*Water : 0%
*Protein: 54.2g; Fat: 0g; Carbohydrate: 33.1g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 0g;
*Minerals – Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
*Vitamins – A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 1900mg;

Medicinal Uses:
Antibacterial; Antidote; Antiinflammatory; Antirheumatic; Blood tonic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Hepatic; Ophthalmic;
Tonic.

Antirheumatic, diuretic. The seed is a tonic. Both the seed and the young shoots are said to be good for the eyes. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine and are considered to have an acrid taste and a cooling potency. They are anti-inflammatory and febrifuge, being used in the treatment of pus in the lungs, renal inflammation, appendicitis, seminal and vaginal discharges. The entire plant is antidote, anti-inflammatory, blood tonic, depurative, diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge and hepatic. It is used in the treatment of carbuncles, acute appendicitis, intestinal abscess, post-partum pain, dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis. Use with caution since large doses can cause a decrease in white blood cells, nausea and dizziness. The plant has a broad antibacterial activity, effective against the growth of Staphylococci and streptococci.
Other Uses:…Oil…….The seed contains 20 – 30% of a semi-drying oil, it is used for lighting

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thlaspi_arvense
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mustar65.html
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Thlaspi+arvense

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