Wildflower series - Spindlepods
Cleome Monophylla, aka Spindlepods belong to the mustard family and their common name refers to the seed pods, which look like typical mustard seed pods. They are pioneer plants, meaning they grow in disturbed ground and they often come up in my garden and I like to leave them there. The flowers are tiny and they attract tiny solitary bees.
Spindlepod leaves are aromatic when crushed and the plant is used medicinally for swelling, in the same way that mustard is used - it dilates blood vessels and promotes healing. The seeds can be used as a mustard substitute and the leaves can also be eaten, although they are regarded as slightly toxic and likely to be eaten only in times of necessity.
You have a lot of medicinal plants in your country and locally.
It's funny because we have a lot locally and every now and then I will pick a leaf or berries and eat some, but I dont make a habit of it. I should.
Don't make a habit of it unless you are 100% sure of what it is and what can happen. We have many medicinal plants here and also many highly toxic ones. Picking berries can be lethal
Yes I know. Im a Horticulturest so wouldent do that.
But I like the concept if you had to find food to survive you can do it.
Local Aboriginals have bush tucker tours and will teach you right from wrong
I always have to restrain myself from eating wild mushrooms
Beautiful flower once again!
Informative, ty and wish you great evening to ofc :)
Very beautiful photo!
The stems are striate and sometimes sparsely hairy. The leaves are compoundly palmate with three to five leaflets and smaller, leaf-like stipules at the base of the petioles. The leaves become progressivley smaller along the stem.