Practical
Plants

Marsilea quadrifolia

Water Clover

a member of the Marsilea genus in the family Marsileaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Height
0.2 m

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[8]. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[6].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young stems and leaves[2][4]. A famine food, only used in times of scarcity[9]. The spores are produced in a sporocarp (like a fairly large container) and in allied species this is ground up and mixed with flour etc and used in making bread etc. It is rich in starch[3].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A juice made from the leaves is diuretic and febrifuge[9]. It is also used to treat snakebite and applied to abscesses etc[9]. The plant is anti-inflammatory, diuretic, depurative, febrifuge and refrigerant[5][7][9].

Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Antiphlogistic
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Skin

Environment

Range
C. Europe to Asia.
Habitat
Ponds and paddy fields all over Japan[12].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Spores. The plant produces sporocarps, these need to be lightly abraded and then immersed in water. The sporocarps will then swell and burst to release the spores. The spores germinate immediately, the highly developed prothallus remains inside the large seed-like spores. The gametophyte generation is completed in 24 hours and the first roots and shoots appear in 2 - 3 days. Mature plants bearing sporocarps can develop in as little as 3 months[8]. Division.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a permanently moist or wet soil, it can be grown by the side of ponds etc or in the shallow edges of the pond[11]. Thrives in a turfy loam or in peat[1]. Hardy to about -15°c[8]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

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  4. Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976-00-00

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  5. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

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  6. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

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  7. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

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  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  11. Muhlberg. H. Complete Guide to Water Plants. E. P. Publishing Ltd. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-7158-0789-7

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  12. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

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